A family man, serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, grapples with a serious moral dilemma that he could use to sway the jury's verdict and potentially convict or acquit the wrong murderer. Kiefer Sutherland got his role by writing to Clint Eastwood, telling him how much of a fan he was and that he wanted to star in one of his films before he retired. Kiefer's dad, Donald Sutherland, had starred with Clint in Kelly's Heroes (1970) and Space Cowboys (2000). Larry Lasker: We're as Sick as Our Secrets. Open Bar: #120 - Glicked Dominates, Snow White Panic, Captain America Disaster (2024). Hard Livin'Written by Chris Stapleton and Kendall MarvelPerformed by Chris Stapleton Courtesy of Mercury Nashville RecordsUnder license from Universal Music Enterprises. I saw this film at its premiere at the TCL Chinese Theater as the closing film of the 2024 AFI Film Festival. Nicholas Hoult stars as the main character who is forced into a moral dilemma when he is selected to serve on a murder jury. . . . . The story is a twist on Henry Fonda's old role in "12 Angry Men" which I can't say much more about without giving away spoilers. Hoult's performance is more than adequate alongside the rest of the star cast, including Toni Collette as a prosecutor running for district attorney, J.K. Simmons as Hoult's ally on the jury, Gabriel Basso as the defendant, and many others. The story and screenplay are packed with a few surprises, though the inevitable conclusion is not. Eastwood's direction is solid as usual, but not exceptional; however, given the limitations of the story, I'd say it's more than good. So overall this movie is a 7/10, definitely not a 10/10, but not a 4/10 either (I reserve 4 and below for movies that are technically incompetent). Recommended if you can find it, considering Warner is not backing the film! Looking for something else to add to your watch list? Check out what movies and TV shows are streaming this month.