BY MAX COLSTON | A specially picked jury are hired to ensure a victory for a gun manufacturer. But what they don't know is that someone else has control of the jury and can sway their decision to either side. The film stars John Cusack, Gene Hackman, and Dustin Hoffman.

EXPECTATIONS

I was extremely pumped for this film, being the John Grisham fan that I am. I love The Firm and A Time to Kill, and I've been tracking this film since its "TBA" stages. And once I heard John Cusack, Dustin Hoffman, and Gene Hackman were a part of the cast, I couldn't help but be more excited. So I went in expecting the best.

What I'd Seen

An awesome trailer, a tight poster, and some pretty cool stills. My excitement definitely rose to dangerous levels after I saw these.

What I Heard

I had heard a string of mixed reviews, but no great or horrible reviews.

What I Wanted

I wanted a film that was faithful to John Grisham's novel and had a lot of excitement and great performances by Cusack, Hoffman, and Hackman.

EXPERIENCE

What Turned Me On

I don't think any reviewer can go any review without mentioning the great performance from the three leads. Cuscak, Hoffman, and Hackman are so great in their roles. Cusack as the smart and relatable Nicholas Easter. Hoffman as the compassionate and caring Wendell Rohr. And finally, Gene Hackman as the tough and mean Rankin Fitch (this guy can scare me with his eyes closed). Not everyday do we get a cast like this.

The film is also very exciting and moves at a fast pace, all leading up to its final moments when the jury's verdict is announced.

What Turned Me Off

Nothing really. But there were the occasional moments of comedy that were unnecessary and didn't fit the mood.

Lines Worth Repeating

"An unhappy mother is better than an unfriendly wife."

Never Saw That Before

Never saw a juror before plead to leave the court for a little while to compete in a video game competition. A very funny scene.

Fidget Factor

Very, very minimal. Towards the end when everything was taking a while to wrap up I took a little peek at my watch. But most of the film is exciting enough to keep you glued to the screen.

AFTERMATH

I left thinking...after seeing this film, I realized jury duty does suck.

I left saying...I can't wait for the next John Grisham movie!

Expiry Date

The film will for sure have a pretty good box office run and will stay in theaters for a while. I'm still not sure whether it will stay alive along with the other John Grisham adapted movies like The Firm.

When it comes out on DVD, but it. It's definitely worth it.