--- title: "Juror #2: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/juror-2/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/juror-2" critics_score: 76 critics_reviews: 18 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Juror #2 (2024): what the critics said Critics' score 76 from 18 reviews: 15 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics like this a good deal, and they like it for the same reasons. The consensus is that Eastwood has made an old-fashioned, unfussy courtroom drama that cares more about conscience than suspense, showing its hand early and asking what a juror does once he realises he may be the guilty man. Nicholas Hoult’s slow-burn performance draws the widest praise, with Toni Collette’s prosecutor and JK Simmons close behind. Many reviews also note the brisk pacing and the director’s respect for the audience’s intelligence. The reservations cluster on the premise, which even admirers admit relies on convenient coincidences, and on an ending some find abrupt. The spread is fairly narrow, with most reviews warm, but a few dissent sharply: The Playlist finds the plot holes fatal and the visuals dull, Collider thinks the contrivances undermine the film’s case about justice, and The Wrap likes almost everything except the final scene. ## RogerEbert.com — Christy Lemire Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 2024. Eastwood crafts a solid, old-fashioned courtroom drama that ends his directing career on a high note with brisk storytelling and strong performances. The film stands out for its thoughtful themes and retro pleasures in a twisty script about moral dilemmas during jury duty. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/juror-2-clint-eastwood-film-review) ## The AV Club — Ignatiy Vishnevetsky Rating B+. 1 November 2024. Juror #2 is the best Clint Eastwood film in years, a confident and unpretentious character-driven courtroom drama with a great cast. It centers murky moral contradictions without easy resolution, making for an involving psychological story. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/juror-2-review) ## Empire — John Nugent Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 29 October 2024. The critic calls it one of Eastwood's best films in years, a sharp and compelling grown-up legal procedural that examines justice in a riveting, entertaining way. They single out the classical filmmaking, moral dilemmas, and strong central performance for praise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/juror-2/) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 4/4/4. 29 October 2024. The critic calls it one of Eastwood's finest late-era films, a morally complex riff on the courtroom drama that culminates in a haunting final shot. It singles out the philosophical riches beneath the zany plot and the way it refuses binary moral delineations among the characters. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/juror-2) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 October 2024. Eastwood’s brisk thriller shows how self-interest and politics undermine justice, with a lone skeptic juror facing personal stakes in a murder trial. It stands out for its anti-political critique and quietly confident, original form that trusts the audience. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/in-juror-2-clint-eastwood-judges-the-system-harshly) ## Time Out — Dan Jolin Rating 4/5. 29 October 2024. The critic praises Eastwood for returning to form with a smart, morally complex courtroom drama that offers a thought-provoking spin on the genre and a ripe moral quandary. It singles out Nicholas Hoult's slow-burn embodiment of intensifying guilt and the convincing, satisfying ending for praise. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/juror-2-2024) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 2024. Eastwood's stripped-down legal thriller emphasizes the emotional cost of guilt and innocence through long close-ups and internalized torments rather than genre thrills. It is a fine, generous entry in the director's career that suggests the justice system can fail through ordinary mistakes. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/juror-no-2-review-the-system-has-failed-clint-eastwood.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 31 October 2024. Eastwood’s modest drama probes moral responsibility and guilt through a juror’s inconvenient dilemma in a small-town murder trial. It singles out the unfussy, character-driven direction and strong cast for delivering a gently probing tale of seriousness. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-10-31/juror-2-review-clint-eastwood-nicholas-hoult-toni-collette) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 28 October 2024. Festival review. Eastwood’s modest moral drama engages with guilt, justice, and the law’s limitations through a juror who realizes he may be responsible for the crime. It stands out for its quiet, self-reflective style and respect for the audience’s intelligence in an ambiguous ending. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/juror-2-review-clint-eastwood-1236191801/) ## Radio Times — Max Copeman Rating 7.0/10. The critic describes an old-fashioned and thorny legal thriller presenting a moral dilemma through Eastwood's direction at age 93. It singles out the robust supporting cast, led by JK Simmons and Toni Collette, for energizing the drama despite the terse script. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-k10wgk/juror-2/) ## IndieWire — Christian Zilko 28 October 2024. Eastwood delivers a layered character study and one of the best studio films of 2024 with this throwback legal thriller. The film explores how people are never fully defined by their mistakes while showcasing the director's longevity. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/juror-2-review-clint-eastwood-1235060535/) ## Screen Daily 28 October 2024. The critic sees the film as modest, comfy crime that tweaks Eastwood's usual themes of ordinary men doing right, with Nicholas Hoult conveying conflicting guilt and conscience. It singles out the brisk pacing and dependable supporting work from Toni Collette and JK Simmons while noting its appeal to fans of law-and-order TV dramas. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/juror-2-review/5198549.article) ## Sight and Sound — Guy Lodge 5 November 2024. The critic finds Eastwood's courtroom thriller a sober throwback to grown-up studio entertainment that subverts expectations by revealing its hand early and focusing on morality and conscience rather than suspense. It singles out Toni Collette's chilly, crumbling performance as the grasping prosecutor for praise amid the film's minimalist intensity. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/juror-2-eastwoods-courtroom-thriller-throwback-era-straightforwardly-grown-studio-entertainment) ## The Guardian — Ryan Gilbey 30 October 2024. The critic describes a courtroom thriller pitting justice against self-preservation in which a juror realises he may be the guilty party. It offers cosy pleasures in the jury-room scenes and strong casting, and would be a fitting farewell for the veteran director. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/oct/30/juror-2-review-clint-eastwood-nicholas-hoult-court-dilemma) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Justin Lowe 28 October 2024. Festival review. Eastwood focuses on the protagonist's moral dilemma in this courtroom drama rather than procedural elements, resulting in an effective if understated addition to his career. The strong ensemble cast, particularly Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette, excels in conveying internal conflict and intensity. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/juror-2-review-clint-eastwood-nicholas-hoult-toni-collette-1236046091/) ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Rating Critic’s Pick. 31 October 2024. Eastwood delivers a low-key, genuine shocker and ethical showdown that casts a skeptical eye at the criminal justice system. The film is stronger than his recent work, with a lean mystery that puts justice itself on trial. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/31/movies/juror-2-review-clint-eastwood.html) ## The Telegraph 31 October 2024. The critic calls it a riveting moral thriller and comforting throwback to 1990s courtroom drama, praising Eastwood’s forensic seriousness, shrewd casting and a punchy ending while noting some convenient plot points. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/juror-2-review-clint-eastwood-nicholas-hoult-toni-collette/) ## The Times Rating ★★★☆☆. 31 October 2024. The critic finds it a flawed but typically well-constructed story and absorbing possible swansong, full of moral certitude despite an unlikely premise. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/juror-2-review-clint-eastwood-nicholas-hoult-znbj26ng2) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 October 2024. Festival review. The critic hails Eastwood’s film as his best since American Sniper and one of the year’s strongest pictures, praising its riveting suspense, moral complexity, family drama and strong ensemble including a standout Nicholas Hoult turn. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2024/10/juror-2-review-riveting-courtroom-drama-could-be-clint-eastwoods-final-film-afi-fest-1236159610/) ## Film Stories — Ryan Lambie Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 2024. The critic praises Eastwood's precise and understated direction of a strong moral dilemma in this courtroom thriller, noting it as one of his best recent films. Excellent performances by Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette stand out in the well-cast ensemble. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/juror-2-review-all-rise-for-clint-eastwoods-superb-courtroom-thriller/) ## /Film — Jeremy Mathai Rating 8/10. 30 October 2024. The critic hails it as vintage Eastwood and one of the year's best theatrical experiences, a tense morality play on justice and change delivered with scalpel-sharp direction. The watertight screenplay and Hoult's haunted performance are praised. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1701753/juror-2-clint-eastwood-movie-review/) ## HeyUGuys — Linda Marric Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 2024. The critic calls it Eastwood's best film in two decades, a taut and morally ambiguous thriller with gorgeous acting that explores personal integrity and moral duty. Hoult's performance as the conflicted juror is highlighted as exquisite. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/juror-n2-review/) ## Paste — Jesse Hassenger Rating 7.3/10. 31 October 2024. The critic calls it an engaging throwback legal thriller and morality play with a strong hook and moral weight, highlighting Hoult's nuanced lead performance and the effective ensemble, while noting some contrivances in the premise. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/clint-eastwood/juror-no-2-clint-eastwood-movie-review-2024-nicholas-hoult) ## The Wrap — Michael Ordoña Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 29 October 2024. The critic calls the film a taut, understated courtroom drama that overcomes its premise through unsentimental direction and a fine lead performance from Nicholas Hoult, but faults the abrupt and unsatisfying ending that feels like a mistrial. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/juror-2-review-clint-eastwood-nicholas-hoult/) ## Collider — Jeff Ewing Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 30 October 2024. The critic praises the strong performances, especially from Hoult, Collette, and Simmons, along with some directorial and cinematographic choices, but criticizes the film's many plot contrivances, implausible details, and lack of believability that undermine its exploration of justice. [Read the review](https://collider.com/juror-no-2-review-clint-eastwood/) ## The Playlist — Lena Wilson Rating D. 6 December 2024. The critic argues the premise stretches credulity with glaring plot holes and a mismanaged justice system depiction, resulting in an uninspiring film despite solid acting from Collette and others. Humdrum visuals and overwrought drama are singled out for complaint. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/juror-2-clint-eastwoods-courtroom-drama-stretches-credulity-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt-review-20241206/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/juror-2.md