THE JUROR
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 3.0 Alternative Scale: *1/2 out of ****
United States, 1996 U.S. Release Date: 2/2/96 (wide) Running Length: 1:58 MPAA Classification: R (Violence, profanity, sex, nudity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Demi Moore, Alec Baldwin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Heche, Tony Lo Bianco, James Gandolfini, Lindsey Crouse Director: Brian Gibson Producers: Irwin Winkler and Rob Cowan Screenplay: Ted Tally based on the novel by George Dawes Green Cinematography: Jamie Anderson Music: James Newton Howard U.S. Distributor: Columbia Pictures
THE JUROR starts in a courtroom in the United States and finishes with a chase through a ruined temple in Guatemala. If you can imagine a screenplay that cobbles together elements of TRIAL BY JURY, THE PELICAN BRIEF, and CONGO, you have a fairly good idea what to expect from this movie. As soon as you think THE JUROR can't get any more silly, it will inevitably prove you wrong.
This is yet another in a *long* line of inane thrillers to pit "ordinary" people against amazingly-intelligent, incredibly-nasty, often-psychotic adversaries. Add THE JUROR to an already overpopulated category that includes THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE, UNLAWFUL ENTRY, PACIFIC HEIGHTS, SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, THE TIE THAT BINDS, and EYE FOR AN EYE. There are three prerequisites this kind of film: the basic storyline must have little or no basis in reality, the main character(s) must be unreasonably virtuous, and the villain must be evil incarnate. THE JUROR follows each of these precepts to the letter.
Get ready for Demi Moore in yet another high-profile, artistically barren motion picture. Unlike DISCLOSURE, however, which was actually enjoyable, THE JUROR is a trial to sit through. The movie would like viewers to believe it has something relevant to say about the ease with which our legal system can be abused, but, in the end, all the posturing about the need for a "reasonable doubt" in criminal cases becomes just another lame plot element. THE JUROR never comes close to making a serious statements about crime or justice. Director Brian Gibson wants thrills and shocks, not potentially thought-provoking questions.
Annie Laird (Moore) is a hard-working single mom who spends all of her spare time caring for her pre-teen son, Oliver (Joseph Gordon- Levitt). She's so ignorant of current events that she becomes an ideal candidate for a juror in the high-profile trial of reputed mob boss Louie Buffano (Tony Lo Bianco). At first, she's excited to be selected, but it doesn't take long for the thrill to turn to terror. The evidence against Louie, which includes a tape recorded conversation, is overwhelming, but the mob isn't worried. Their best man, the Teacher (Alec Baldwin), is on the job. He singles out Annie as his target and makes her an offer she can't refuse: vote "not guilty" or both she and her son will suffer the consequences.
If this plot sounds familiar, that's because it's a retread of 1994's TRIAL BY JURY, another horrible courtroom thriller about jury tampering. To differentiate this movie from the earlier one, THE JUROR (based on the best-selling novel by George Dawes Green) has expanded beyond the trial, resulting in an increasingly-ridiculous series of plot twists that climax in a crumbling temple deep in the heart of a Guatemalan jungle. It's like a bad John Grisham plot -- lots of danger and running around, little of which ultimately means anything.
For the most part, the acting is surprisingly good for this kind of formula motion picture. Demi Moore is the lone exception -- it's rare that she's believable for more than part of a scene. Alec Baldwin, on the other hand, gives a nicely controlled performance as the obsessive man who wants to control not only Annie's vote on the jury, but everything about her life. Supporting players Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Heche, and James Gandolfini all do solid, if unspectacular, jobs.
However, no number of competent performances can save THE JUROR. The painfully obvious storyline is what sinks this movie, and even the most accomplished cast couldn't have done much more with the material. This motion picture is guilty of wasting the time of anyone who wants even a modicum of intelligence in their entertainment.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: jberardinell@delphi.com, berardin@bc.cybernex.net web: http://www2.cybernex.net/~berardin
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