The Judge
A successful lawyer returns to his hometown for his mother's funeral only to discover that his estranged father, the town's judge, is suspected of murder.
Critics Sentiment
Judge Palmer testifies he may have killed Mark Blackwell intentionally
Dax Shepard's incompetent lawyer fails at preliminary hearing
The film's biggest swing occurs from the incompetent local lawyer subplot to Hank taking over the case, jumping from 6.2 to 8.7 as critics felt the central father-son dynamics finally took center stage.
Critics consistently praised the powerhouse performances by Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall, particularly in their father-son confrontations and courtroom scenes. While many felt the film was overly long and stuffed with underdeveloped subplots, the emotional core of the family drama resonated strongly with reviewers. The courtroom testimony sequence was universally acclaimed as the film's emotional peak, though pacing issues and formulaic elements prevented it from reaching its full potential.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 55
Robert Downey Jr.
Hank Palmer
Robert Duvall
Joseph Palmer
Vera Farmiga
Samantha Powell
Vincent D'Onofrio
Glen Palmer
Jeremy Strong
Dale Palmer
Dax Shepard
C.P. Kennedy
Billy Bob Thornton
Dwight Dickham
Leighton Meester
Carla Powell
Ken Howard
Judge Warren
Emma Tremblay
Lauren Palmer
Balthazar Getty
Deputy Hanson
David Krumholtz
Mike Kattan
Grace Zabriskie
Mrs. Blackwell
Denis O'Hare
Doc Morris
Sarah Lancaster
Lisa Palmer
Lonnie Farmer
Gus the Bailiff
Matt Riedy
Sheriff White
Mark Kiely
Mark Blackwell
Jeremy Holm
Redneck
Catherine Cummings
Mary Palmer
Crew
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