Robert Downey Jr. thinks he’s a god. His Twitter bio states “You know who I am.” and based on his runaway Hollywood success since he starred as Tony Stark in Iron Man, many would probably agree with his egotistical musings. Well, Iron Man has been cleared for landing… gracing us with his unequivocal presence in The Judge.

The character echoes his role in Ally McBeal, playing a big shot lawyer. Armed an equally big mouth, he returns to his childhood home where many unresolved issues lurk and his father, the town’s judge, is suspected of murder.

This coming-of-age legal drama makes a nice change of pace for Robert Downey Jr. He still turns on the charm, yet manages to contain his “playboy, billionaire, philanthropist” demenaour for a more down-to-earth performance. He’s supported by a solid cast, including: Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thornton, Vincent D’Onofrio and yes, even Dax Shepard.

The Judge also makes a refreshing change for director David Dobkin, who is best known for comedy. Dobkin’s dalliances with The Wedding Crashers, Fred Claus and The Change-Up are not a true reflection of his abilities as witnessed in his latest endeavor, showing a marked maturity without losing his comedic sensibility.

“Son, here’s the game plan… you be Alan, I’ll be Denny.”

Duvall’s performance is astounding as his old man, whipping up a proud and stubborn old-timer, while propagating the uneasy father-son chemistry. If Downey Jr. brings the showmanship, Duvall adds dramatic weight – creating a compelling relationship at the heart of this drama. While the story plants its flag in the court room, the legal drama really serves as book-ends for the film with a sharp performance from Billy Bob Thornton ratcheting up the tension.

The real story at play is about a son coming to terms with his father. The family dysfunction forms the core of the drama as a number of important life moments play out over the course of a week. While entertaining and even touching at times, this jam-packed family resolution bumper edition does come across as a little contrived, bordering on melodrama. Even at two-and-a-half hours, the big life moments cascade and lose some of their staying power.

Yet, The Judge is still enjoyable and entertaining thanks to its nostalgic small town bustle, family court room antics and palpable cast chemistry. The film’s dark comedy musings and small town saga echo Bernie with a similar tone to Six Feet Under, while bringing the entertainment value, wit, heart and street smarts of Boston Legal. It’s an absorbing all-round piece of entertainment, that will work best if you just roll with it.

The bottom line: Entertaining

Release date: 2 January, 2015
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