New Jersey Stage October 2014 | Page 105

FILM REVIEW: The Judge By Eric Hillis, TheMovieWaffler.com Back in the 90s, the courtroom thriller saw a revival, thanks mainly in part to the popularity of the novels of John Grisham. Adaptations of Grisham’s work flooded the market for a few years, but despite directorial heavyweights like Francis Ford Coppola and Robert Altman lending their talents, none of these films rose above mediocrity, and lent themselves all too comfortably to parody (Think TV SHARE BUTTON sitcom 30 Rock’s ‘The Rural Juror’). Two decades on, The Judge feels almost like a postmodern take on the genre. It hits every cliched note, but asks us to forgive it for doing so by winking at the audience. But acknowledging that you’re giving us nothing we haven’t seen before doesn’t hide the fact that you’re giving us nothing we haven’t seen before. Advertise here for $25 - $100 call 732-280-7625 pg 105