Best movie ever!

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

This movie did not get the acclaim it should have. Very moving performances by Downey Jr and Duvall. Really touching film. Worth the watch.

Family relationships are often messy, confusing, and heartbreaking. This movie acknowledges that. Family relationships are also honest, tender, central to one's identity. This movie recognizes that, too."The Judge" is a mature movie that takes all the time it needs to establish its characters, their relationships with each other, and to show off their thought processes and evolution. It is in no hurry to enforce opinions on you, doesn't take the easy way out, and lets the viewer draw his own conclusions. The story follows a middle-aged man lawyer who is still struggling in his relationship with his authoritative father, because those are not issues that go away all of a sudden when you're a father yourself; a man full of contradictions and stuck in an eternal defensive attitude. Robert Duvall and Robert Downey Jr. are both outstanding as father as son. Their explosive arguments and the entire dynamic of their relationship feels extremely genuine. All these unspoken resentments, all those little and bigger wounds that never really heal but fester over time are explored. The rest of the family dynamic, from the brothers with whom Hank (Downey) has a rather peaceful and tender relationship to the ex-girlfriend who seems to know him better than anyone, are interesting and authentic. No one is made too likable or given easy forgiveness; the character are nuanced and balanced.The courtroom drama was taken really seriously, too; it was thrilling to me and seemed very authentic. I loved the two other lawyers we encountered, and how different understandings of the law converge in one intense testimony scene. Nothing very Hollywoodesque to the courtroom narrative for me; it almost seemed European in its serious and professional tone (then I'm biased). No big reveal or unnecessary drama, just serious prosecution. Yes, this movie could have been shorter; yes, the story-line is neither original nor mind-blowing. Watch it for Robert Duvall and Robert Downey Jr. and an outstanding supporting cast setting the screen ablaze with emotions; watch it because with all its random elements and bittersweetness and ambivalences, it feels a lot like real life.

In this film, a son who graduated as a lawyer returns to his homeland, a small town in the country to see his father, who is a local court judge and with whom he has never had a good relationship. However, he ends up offering to defend him when the elderly judge is charged with murder. The best of the film is the story, a family drama that holds our attention from the beginning because the characters were so well developed psychologically that they end up touching us. Robert Downey Jr. and veteran Robert Duvall give life to son and father, respectively, and both are huge in their performances, being very good how they interact with each other in front of the camera. But neither are sympathetic characters. They are very similar, cranky and a little stern, and because they are very similar, they have difficulty living together. The rest of the cast plays secondary roles but gives good support to these two actors.

"Hank Palmer" (Robert Downey Jr.) is a highly competent defense attorney who suffers from having grown up in a dysfunctional family. The primary cause of the family turmoil was his father's inability to connect with any of his three sons and his constant criticisms of them. As it so happens, the father "Joseph Palmer" (Robert Duvall) is a well-respected judge who is completely devoted to the law. However, when he is involved in a deadly hit-and-run he rejects the assistance of his son even though he knows that he is the key to his acquittal. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this film had more than its share of deep-seated family dynamics resulting in some rather heavy drama. And it was the acting that brought everything together as both of the aforementioned actors delivered stellar performances. Having said that, this movie probably won't appeal to everybody but I recommend it to those who might want to watch a film of this type. I have rated it accordingly. Above average.