As it turns out, sending what could beClint Eastwood’s last directorial effort straight to streaming after a nearly non-existent theatrical release isn’t the best way to bury a film. The legendary actor and director has proven that his name still carries a certain weight to it, as his latest film,Juror #2, has reached the top of the iTunes rental charts since its digital release last week. The film’s synopsis describes it as a story about “a juror for a high-profile murder trial [who] finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma that could influence the verdict and potentially convict, or free, the accused killer.”
Juror #2isn’t just at the top of the iTunes movie rental chart either— the film has maintained the top spot on the Fandango at Home VOD service (formerly VUDU) since its debut last week, signifying that at-home audiences are more than interested in seeing Eastwood’s latest film. Speculation has run rampant regarding Warner Bros.' decision to quietly release the film in a handful of theaters instead of giving it a full theatrical release, whether it was due to concerns over potentially losing money on a theatrical release, or studio CEO David Zaslav’s efforts to try and manage billions in debt.
Fellow filmmakers likeGuillermo del Toro have heaped praiseon Eastwood’s latest film, and questioned why what could be the director’s last film was given no fanfare or marketing leading up to the release. Clint Eastwood has had a legendary run of films at Warner Bros. in the past, andJuror #2’shigh sales in the VOD landscapeand positive reviewsare a testament to his skill as a filmmaker.
From ‘Unforgiven’ to ‘Million Dollar Baby,’ Clint Eastwood Has Proven His Worth Time & Again
Clint Eastwood’sJuror #2should have at least been given a chance for awards contention, especially because of how the earlier films in his career had major successes in that department.The 1992 WesternUnforgivenand 2002’sMillion Dollar Babyboth won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, with Eastwood also winning Best Director for both films. When you add to that the fact that both of these films were Warner Bros. films, it makes the straight to digital release that much more confusing.
Juror #2 Review: Clint Eastwood is Guilty of Directing One of the Year’s Most Satisfying Films
The 94-year-old icon explores America’s flawed legal system in a courtroom drama starring Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette.
In a year when large scale, ambitious films likeBrady Corbet’sThe Brutalistare dominating the Awards conversations,Juror #2is undoubtedly a fresh change of pace for film fans closely monitoring all the newest releases by prestige directors. Every film has an audience, andJuror #2is a smaller-scale and more intimate project that clearly found one, albeit in streaming instead of theaters.
Overall, the news ofJuror #2’ssuccess on streaming feels like a justification of the criticism Warner Bros. received for the way they treated the release. With the strong hold the film has had in the number one spot for digital rentals, one can’t help but think of what a wider release could have done for the recognition of this low-cost film. Then again, potentially, the reason the film has been so relevant in the first place is (ironically) because of how it was nearly swept under the rug.
Justin Kemp, a juror in a prominent murder trial, encounters a moral conflict as he realizes his influence over the jury’s decision. Struggling with the potential consequences, he faces the ethical challenge of possibly swaying the verdict to either convict or free the wrong individual, complicating his role significantly.
