S Poddar
Clint Eastwood’s new film, Juror No 2, has gained considerable attention with a strong 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though the lead-up to its release has been unexpectedly rocky. Although many think it to be the last from Eastwood who has already attained the age of 94, Juror No 2 didn’t receive the widespread release many fans and critics felt it deserved. Warner Bros had originally intended on making it a streamer, but changed their course after word was spread that Eastwood is someone with respect in Hollywood. Ultimately, it was opening in just 28 theaters across the United States, a modest rollout for an iconic filmmaker’s potentially last project.
Industry voices universally expressed disappointment with how Warner Bros handled Juror No 2. The popular movie-tracking page EmpireCity Box Office was blunt: “I’ve given Warner Bros Pictures the benefit of the doubt, but what a dumpster fire.”. They are letting Clint Eastwood’s likely last film, Juror No 2, hit less than 50 theaters without P/A on 11/1 and expansion. That had one of the fall’s best-received trailers. Shame.” Such low-key promotion differs from the word-of-mouth that pours off the early reviews, including from Eastwood devotees.
Eastwood himself had skipped the Hollywood premiere, allowing stars like Nicholas Hoult and other members of the cast to take center stage at the event. His absence, somehow fitting for this retiring director, was surprising in a way to many attending the function with hopes that it would be a worthy sendoff for Eastwood’s several decades of cinematic work.
This marks a few weeks of continuous attention generated through the marketing of Warner Bros’ strategy to awards season. Heavier hitters include Dune: Part II, Furiosa, and even Joker: Folie à Deux, this one that could polarize the box office; but then again, no word about Juror No 2. It only just goes on the list now, which raises quite a bit of suspicion about the whole thing as perhaps finally giving the film much-needed recognition.
Complexity was added to the journey that this film would take because the industry context is also relevant. Warner Bros and others are trying to navigate this new release strategy in an environment that increasingly favors streaming. This may have caused the studio to hesitate as most traditional studios are making big blockbusters for theatres and using streaming for small projects. But controversy has also erupted, because Juror No 2 had been well-hyped with a strong trailer and by virtue of the Eastwood name alone. The niche release is contradictory to popular demand for it on large screens.
The long list of Eastwood’s filmography across genres, where he continually pushed the envelope of what cinema can be, made this final project meaningful for the fans who watched him go from Dirty Harry to winning an Oscar for direction in films like Million Dollar Baby and Unforgiven. His unique point of view and his unyielding storytelling made him a landmark figure in American cinema, and Juror No 2 is that legacy.
What viewers have watched, the film experience seems to align with the best of Eastwood’s work. Juror No 2 has been critical acclaimed for an engrossing storyline, deep character development, and tension-filled direction, factors that make the Eastwood film classic for five decades. And then there’s Juror No 2, a final bow to his individuality as he weaves courtroom drama with a psychology of guilt and redemption-a sense of moral ambiguity he weaves into many his films.
The 94-year-old director is ready to call it quits on filmmaking. But his legacy lives in his extensive and impactful oeuvre. Whether Warner Bros intends to alter the plan to respect the iconic director and expand the release or decides to go by its earlier plan, the viewers are more than ready to look for Juror No 2 and celebrate the iconic director who has created an unmatched space for himself in the cinema world. Though there have been many hurdles in the journey of the film, fans and critics alike are unanimous that it shall not go unnoticed in its entirety.
