The Juror
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Movie Reviews of The Juror
Movie Review: Great Movie
Summary: 5 Stars
I am not a real fan of Demi Moore or Alec Baldwin and yes this is an older movie. That said, it is an awesome movie and extremely well done. I hope you all enjoy it as well as we did.Movie Review: Justice is a fairy tale, in this movie its kill or be killed
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie is well directed, has a great script, but what really makes it a exceptional movie is the acting. Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin both turn in the best performances of their respective careers. Moore is very beliviable as a single mom who is a strugling artist with a good heart. Baldwin gives an amazing performance as a sociopath who "works" for a mafia family. In reality Baldwin's influence is so powerful that it almost seems like the mafia family really works for him. At the very least Baldwin only takes orders from the Boss himself, he does not listen to anyone else. Everyone fears him, and rightly so, his nickname is "the teacher" because "when you see him school's out". Baldwin gives this nickname depth and meaning, he really is a teacher in a sick, sadistic way, he teaches Annie, (Demi Moore's character) the way the world really works and how vunerable she is. He teachers her that safety is an illusion of modern society. Baldwin's character's real name in this film is Vincent, but Annie never knows that, to her he is only the Teacher. The Teacher is much worse than the other mafiosa, he is cultured, very good looking, well mannered, charming, he seems like some kind of hot shot buisness man or some sort of elite member of high society. The way he speaks makes him sound like a ivy leauge educated rich guy. The last thing he seems like is a hit man for the mob and that is precisly why he is so dangerous. He is like a chamleion, he can disguise his true nature so expertly it is spooky. This is because he almost convinces himself he is someone else, to a certain extent he tricks himself into forgetting who he really is temporarily and emerses himself in the character. He is not really just a hitman for the mob, he is that but he is other things as well, he is the No.1 assassin but he is also the Counslieria (remember Robert Duvuall as Tom Hagan in the Godfather) he advises the Don on policy. The Teacher is slowly but surely taking over control of the Mafia family, he is setting up deals with Italian Mafia from Calabra, he is negotiating with Columbians, Jamacians, etc. He is turning this mafia family from a localized crime operation into an international crimal enterprise. He has vision, direction, and is pretty much a evil genuis. He has a keen understanding of human psychology and although he feels fear he uses it to make him stronger "I embrace fear Annie, it is terror that teaches us our shape." This might sound like abstarct silly philosphy but he applies it to the criminal world with lucrative results. Even within the mafia family he consults for/kills for/directs he is feared. He has no friends, he is useful to the mafia as a weapon which everyone fears but having him around is a double edged sword. The Don's son,(played by the guy who played Jackie, the first boss who died of cancer before Tony took over on the Sopranos) hates the Teacher and realizes that he is no good, bad things have a way of happening around him, people are always dying, even more so than usual. The Teacher is nothing but BAD NEWS and the Don's son realizes this instinctvly. He is manipulating the mob family for his own interests, invovling this local crime family with orgazinations that are international in nature and much more powerful than they are. He is getting the mafia in over its head, I know how weird this might sound but it is accurate. The Italian mafia from Italy and the Colombians are much worse than the American Iatalin mob, the people who run them are more like the Teacher than like the other mobsters in the family "works for". They are nothing but cold blooded killers with no morals. The Teacher is sort of like a tiger among wolves, the most dangerous predator in the jungle. The viewer never really understands what makes the Teacher tick, he seems to be building this criminal empire out of bordom. He is not really that interested in material things, he lives in a garage, dresses in jeans and t-shirts, etc. The Teacher defies catoragazation, he be anything he chooses, he can be a gangster, an art curator, a philsopher, anything. He carries a silenced pistol with him wherever he goes, he makes the other mob guys look like clowns, amatures. He has no equals, he has yet to met his match, until he meets Annie. In a strange way Moore's character understands the Teacher better than anyone else and is more able to predict his actions. She has femine insights and guile that the other mobsters lack, she realizes she can manipulate the Teacher eventually, although it is an exteemly dangerous game to play. Annie is very smart, in her own way just as smart as the Teacher and she has the distinct advantage of not being insane which is the only weakness the Teacher has, altough it is also in a way his greatest strength because it allowes him to think outside the box. Supporting cast in this movie include good performances by Ann Hesh as Annie's well intentioned but naive and nosy friend. James Gadofini of Soprano's fame plays a mob underling who was intially responsible for recruiting Vincent A.K.A. the Teacher into the mob. The Teacher is from a poor backround and grew up in the same neighborhood that all the other mobseters grew up in, although you would not know it by the way he acts, talks, etc. The facade of the Teacher is all an illusion, even when he acts as a gangster it is still an illusion, he is sort of like a serial killer but at the same time not really, he does not fit into any sort of catogary. The only time he is really himself is when he is killing someone or intimidating them, the mafia and all his criminal manuverings are merely a hobby to him, a vehicle by which to impose his will and kill people. The Teacher is one of the greatest villians ever to be put on film, almost like a Satanic pshycotherapist, if you can imagine that. Baldwin and Moore have terrific chemistry on screen together, the relationship between their characters is what really makes the film, this movie is a psycological thriller that requires that the viewer have intellect, perhaps this is why it did not make money and many people do not like it, it went over their heads. Also this movie is very realistic in its portrayl of violence and everything else, not once did I say to myself, that would never happen, etc. Some reviwers think that this movie is unrealistic because the mob could not get to a jury like it did, please, wake up and smell the coffee. The mob has gotten to plenty of juries and continues to do so. Informers in the legal, justice, and law enforcement systems enable the mafia to know what the cops are planning ahead of time. This movie is distrubing in that the forces of law are either corrupt of inept, but that is the truth and anyone who thinks diffent is a fool. The kid who plays Annie's son in this movie does a very good job as well. The plot of this movie is basically that while The Teacher is elimanting all restance to his rule, he kills another mobster and also kills his 12 year old kid. The mob don is brought to trial on charges that he ordered that killing as well as other RICO charges. As soon as Annie decides to serve on the jury The Teacher selects her as the one to turn into their tool to get the don off. He comes up with a brillant plan no normal mobster ever would have thought of, instead of just trying to get Annie to vote Not Guilty he uses her to get an acquital, he makes her convicne all the other jurors to also vote not guilty. He selected her because he saw how intelligent she was and because he could sense her inner strength, he is a good judge of character. He decides to transform her into his tool, he teachers her to be agressive, dominant, manipulative, etc. He teachers her to become almost a feminine version of himself, but in the end he teaches her to well, because she turns the lessons the Teacher taught her on the Teacher himself. That is what makes this movie interesting, the transformation of Annie's character by the Teacher to the point where she becomes confident enought to take on the teacher himself and teach the the teacher a lesson he will never forget. Their is a horrible, filthy death scene in this movie where someone is forced fed pills that will kill them, this scene is really, really, really sick. The way the Teacher approaches the whole situation is insane yet ingenious, he acts like Annie's coach or something, breaking her down and then building her up. When he threatens he does so in very sublte ways that are much more intimaditing than outright threats, he always phrases his indimaditing statements as if invisible forces are going to hurt Annie and her son and he the Teacher is the only one who can protect her and her son from these forces. For instance, "this is a very dangerous time for Oliver right now (Annie's son) we could lose him just like that!" and he slaps his hands together. Every scene between the Teacher and Annie is framed as a lesson, and in a sick way it is a lesson, a lesson in how evil works, a lesson in fear. Another great scene is one where he says "I'm here to teach you what you love Annie, the suits want you to love the law, but can the law protect Oliver from Drunk Drivers?" He says while driving a car right toward Oliver. That scene is the best scene in the movie by far, it is very intense. "Who will protect you?" The Teacher screams, "The Teacher will protect me." Annie screams back over and over. Whoa!!! That scene is nuts! Maybe the reason this movie was not popular with most people is because their is no clear cut moral message, if this movie has a message it is do not volunteer for Jury Duty, or maybe the message is dont depend on the FBI or the courts for protection. The only justice in this movie is street justice, vengeance and retribution. The Teacher is like a beautiful, charming, but venemous and deadly viper. Annie has a keen understanding of physchology as well and uses it to her advantage. Differences between The Teacher and the Don lead to explosive consquences. This movie is dark and disturbing, suspensful and shocking. One of the most underated movies of all timeMovie Review: Demi at her best!
Summary: 4 Stars
'The Juror' is what you expect to be a typically Mafia story, but the film proves that a strong cast performance can overcome an ordinary storyline. Fabulous performances from Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin, specially Demi Moore who is absolutely incredible and very precise in playing Annie, for whom you would honestly give your heart out to, Annie is the woman you would like to care about, you can sneak into her heart every time and read her mind. The film is definitely worth watching, for an outstanding performance by Moore and Baldwin and a neat direction.
Movie Review: Great movie, regardless of time
Summary: 4 Stars
The juror is a very good movie, demi moore plays a good role in being a loving mother whose world starts falling apart when she's accepted as part of a jury.
Mr Baldwin's performance isnt anything new from him but the character he plays suits him perfectly.
A few innocent mistakes in the script make this movie a little less believable in some scenes but overall its very good, I for one enjoyed it very much
Movie Review: Suspenseful but ordinary
Summary: 3 Stars
Without Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin, this script never would have made it to film. It is a run-of-the-mill story about a single mother (Demi Moore) who is being pressured by an organized crime figure (Alec Baldwin) to vote "not guilty" on a high profile trial. The mob's leverage is her love for her son. Yawn. But Moore and Baldwin turn in fine performances: Moore as the defiant, intelligent, and terrified Annie, and Baldwin as her sociopath handler. Baldwin is so convincingly creepy and so demented in his take on everything that the audience fears intensely for Annie's survival. This film contains some honestly terrifying sequences. Unfortunately, the ending is weak, and you're left with few memorable scenes. While this film was definitely a good escape for a couple of hours, you might want to question whether it is worth purchasing to see more than once.