Review: Runaway Jury

Rated PG-13 | 127 mins

Loosely adapted from a John Grisham novel, Gary Fleder’s Runaway Jury isn’t as suspenseful as it is enjoyable, nor is it as chaotic as it is twisty. This picture is a mess in many ways, but its brisk, ingenious, and never boring execution will win almost every moviegoer over. It’s undeniably one of the most fun and entertaining trips I’ve had at the cinema this year. It’s overacted, overdone, and ultimately disposable, but who cares? Everyone who watches Runaway Jury will enjoy it; it works because this is all it wants to achieve.

Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman’s performances are surprisingly sub-par to that of John Cusack’s. While the two veterans take their characters much too seriously, Cusack has a great feel for the material. I truly applauded every bit of his work in this motion picture.

Sure, it may be flawed, but this is one hell of a popcorn movie. There’s a lot to admire here; though desperately imperfect, Runaway Jury is insanely fabulous. It’ll keep you captivated and enthralled—if that’s not worth a recommendation, I don’t know what is.