Robert Downey Junior is most famous nowadays for his portrayal of Iron Man in the Marvel movies, but there was a time when he was better known for his dramatic roles, even earning an Oscar nomination for Chaplain.  And given the massive success Marvels had as of late, Downey’s earning a pretty hefty paycheck making 50 million for the Avengers alone. With paydays like that, very few films can afford Downey’s presence. To get around this issue, Robert and his wife formed their own production company, Team Downey, to produce lower budget films (if you can call 50 million dollars lower budget) starring himself and his friends. 

 

The Judge is the first fruit of their labor, and while it serves as a good vehicle for Downey’s trademark acting style, the sappy, cliché ridden plot quickly turns into a predictable bore.  Director David Dobkin claimed he wanted to make an old fashioned drama in the style of Kramer vs. Kramer and other courtroom classics. The Judge certainly does feel old and tired, although I doubt that was Dobkin’s intention. There’s some seriously talented people at play here, and it’s nice to see Downey in a role where he’s not blasting pulsar beams, but it would’ve been nicer to see him in a story that hasn’t been told a over and over again

               

Downey plays Lawyer Hank Palmer, known for getting the guiltiest clients off with a light sentence. We’re talking about defending Bernie Madoff level fellows, who have stolen and embezzled millions of dollars, and Hanks made quite a living being good at his job.  In his own words, “The Innocent can’t afford me.” This is in strict contrast to his estranged father Joseph, known as the Judge, a larger than life man practicing in Carlinville Indiana where has sat on his judicial seat for over 40 years. The Judge is known for being uncompromising, bull headed, and bullying, but also as head of one of the best courts in Indiana.

 

When Hank's mother and Joseph's wife dies suddenly of a blood clot, they must confront each other for the first time in years. Things only worsen when Joseph, a recovering alcoholic, seemingly runs down a cyclist, but claims to have no memory of the incident. Old wounds are reopened and relationships explored as Hank agrees to defend his father in a trial that has the Judge under lock and key in his own courtroom.

 

At points The Judge almost reaches soap opera levels. It’s a very well-acted soap opera mind you, and one with some substantial production values, but it quickly descends into the kitchen sink of bad dramatic clichés. Is there a token, well-meaning mentally challenged character only used as a hokey plot device? Check. Is there a stubborn old man, riddled with disease but too proud to seek help? Check. Is there an impossibly beautiful ex-girlfriend that, despite having not seen our (married with children) protagonist in over 20 years, is still in love with him? Check again. Just a few more and you could fill out a bingo sheet. At over 2 hours long, The Judge has plenty of time to cram in as many old ideas and tired plot devices as possible, leaving know stone in this desolate field unturned.

               

The core of the film is Hank and Josephs relationship, and thankfully their characters rise through the thick layer of syrup coating the rest of the film. Hanks a bit of a douchebag, with his opening scene showing him draining his lizard on a fellow lawyer, but he’s charming, handsome,  a good father, and seemingly underneath the slick charisma, a nice guy. The Judge is none of these things. Old, stubborn, ugly and angry, he’s about as strong of a contrast to the fast talking Hank as you could get. But he’s not without highpoints. His life is filled with (admitably clichéd) struggles, and like any good man, he just wants to do what’s best for his family, even if the right answer isn’t always obvious. The two have several brawls throughout and The Judges comparatively higher budget lets them have at it in some interesting sets, the most memorable being in the middle of a roaring tornado, with pieces of their house flying by them as they clash, bringing a sense of life to a story that often seems so lifeless.

               

Hank and the Judge are brought to life through great performances by Downey and Robert Duval respectively. Downey in particular really nails it. His trademark quick wit and slick words bring the courtroom to life. It’s the perfect style for a man like Hank, and the best role Downey’s landed since Tony Stark. Duvall does a great job as well, especially when it comes to showing scenes of weakness and despair. The Judge is an old battle axe, but as his body and his mind fails in his late age he has trouble accepting his limitations. There are some scenes that, at face value, seem excessive with Joseph defecating on himself and showing the various other maladies that inflict the ill and incurable, but they help show Joseph for the sick, somewhat pathetic, old man that he is, who has driven away the only people that really cared about him. Its powerful and surprising stuff for a film that relies so heavily on old tricks.

               

The rest of the characters don’t manage to make the same impact. Hanks brothers, daughter, and former girlfriend never feel real, just as tools to keep the main plot chugging along. For a film that runs over two hours, The Judge feels stuffed to the brim with subplots, stories that go nowhere, and characters that get a scene or two only to disappear. A lot of fat that should’ve been cut in the editing room was left hanging on, at times dragging an already slow film to a crawl.

               

Two good characters played well by seasoned actors don’t make a movie worth watching. Team Downey has potential as a production company, and I look forward to seeing RBJ use his considerable acting chops on more dramatic roles, but as it stands now The Judge is a shaky start. Next time, maybe they’ll leave the sap behind and give us a film that can stand on its own legs, bolstered by Downey’s performance rather than relying on it. Unless they up their game however, and soon, Team Downey may end up like their first film; Mediocre and Forgettable.   

 

Two stars for "The Judge"