Movie Review: The Judge

The Judge
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Dax Shepard, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Billy Bob Thortnon
Synopsis:
Hank Palmer is an outstanding lawyer but his personal life lies in ruin. He has been away from his family for years, going through a divorce, and estranged from his father Joseph (Robert Duvall), the reason for him keeping his distance.
Hank returns home for his mother's funeral where the tension between his father and him are running high. However there is no love lost between Hank and his brothers Glen (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Dale (Jeremy Strong). Immediately following the burial of his mother, Hank soon finds himself defending his father, the honorable Judge Joseph Palmer, in a murder case. Through this, Hank makes amends with his father and the life he left behind.
My Thoughts: 
What makes this film so outstanding is not the drama or the little bits of humor that lighten the mood, but the relationship between father and son. Though they are distant and have their differences, Hank and Joseph still seem to have this unspoken respect for each other. They work in the same field and have the same expertise in law however I felt that Joseph had respect for the law. He had this duty to not only uphold the law but to live by it himself. This respect he had, he was able to pass on to his son. Through the murder trial, I saw a change in Hank. The anger he held for his father seem to melt away and in its place was a young boy who began to fight for the severed relationship with his dad. He wished to find the source of how they became so distant and sought to repair it before they run out of time. It is a great story of respect, honor, and love for a family. It's difficult when you feel like the outsider but in the end, Hank and Joseph were able to capture their redeeming moment.
This film is the epitome of what happens when you have a great story matched with great storytellers to bring it to life. Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall, two of the most prestigious actors of our time simply shine in this film. If you haven't seen it, you need to. It teaches you how important family really is.

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