Runaway Jury

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Runaway Jury

PG-13

Released Oct 17, 2003

2h 7m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

161 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

After a workplace shooting in New Orleans, a trial against the gun manufacturer pits lawyer Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman) against shady jury consultant Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman), who uses illegal means to stack the jury with people sympathetic to the defense. But when juror Nicholas Easter (John Cusack) and his girlfriend, Marlee (Rachel Weisz), reveal their ability to sway the jury into delivering any verdict they want, a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game begins.

Critics Consensus

An implausible but entertaining legal thriller.

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David Germain

Associated Press

Director Gary Fleder's brisk, assured pacing also makes the implausibilities go down easier.

Nov 12, 2018

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Legal thriller isn't aimed at kids.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 28, 2010

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Empire Magazine

Rated: 4/5

Apr 1, 2006

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

Another John Grisham book forms the basis for another decent (if not dazzling) courtroom drama.

Rated: 3/5

May 4, 2020

Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

It's [John] Grisham at his finest. Spellbinding. Riveting. Intriguing. Hackman, Hoffman, Cusack and Davison. Put me in that courtroom now.

Nov 9, 2019

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PJ Nabarro

Patrick Nabarro

A lovely little dash of Hollywood hokum.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 16, 2019

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Aldo G

Not a bad movie. But, Dustin Hoffman, a great actor, did an awful job with his southern accent and sounded like Dorothy Michaels from Tootsie.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/18/25

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Audience Member

The best scene of the film was the Hoffman and Hackman argument in the bathroom. The rest of the movie, however, was a chaotic mess in need of a better script. I did like how the film was political. That was captured well. Overall, the film was good. The film could have been better had it focused more on Hoffman and Hackman characters.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/16/25

Full Review

Marc Z

I watched this movie in hearing about the passing of Gene Hackman. I stopped watching John Grisham movies after being disappointed by the film version of The Firm. This one has an all star cast and is very good. Hackman is really good, as always. John Cusack does a great job as the suave and manipulative juror with an agenda. Dustin Hoffman is not his best, but good, as the honest, country lawyer seeking justice for a gun death client's family. This one varies from the book, but I never read the book, so I am not jaded. The story is unrealistic but it doesn't matter. This is a good courtroom, and behind the scenes, drama.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/13/25

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David D

The performances are solid and the twist is sublime.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/12/25

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Cameron H

Based on the novel by John Grisham, this intense legal thriller follows a high stakes trial against a gun manufacturing company whose weapons were involved in a workplace shooting 🔫 Dustin Hoffman plays a lawyer who goes up against a shady jury consultant, played by Gene Hackman, who use unlawful means to stack the jury with people sympathetic to the defense😬. However, a cat and mouse game begins when one of the jurors reveals they’re able to sway the jury to deliver any verdict they want. 😮 🎞️This movie was Gene Hackman’s penultimate film before his retirement from acting, and he gave one of his strongest performances, along with Dustin Hoffman and John Cusack.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/11/25

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Horror fan 4

A great legal thriller filled with great performances. Loved the ending. Tim Treakle

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/11/25

Full Review

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Gary Fleder

Director

John Cusack

Nicholas Easter

Gene Hackman

Rankin Fitch

Dustin Hoffman

Wendall Rohr

Rachel Weisz

Marlee

Bruce Davison

Durwood Cable

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Synopsis

After a workplace shooting in New Orleans, a trial against the gun manufacturer pits lawyer Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman) against shady jury consultant Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman), who uses illegal means to stack the jury with people sympathetic to the defense. But when juror Nicholas Easter (John Cusack) and his girlfriend, Marlee (Rachel Weisz), reveal their ability to sway the jury into delivering any verdict they want, a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game begins.

Director: Gary Fleder
Producer: Gary Fleder, Arnon Milchan, Christopher Mankiewicz
Screenwriter: David Levien, Brian Koppelman, Matthew Chapman, John Grisham
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: New Regency Pictures, Mojo Films
Rating: PG-13 (Thematic Elements|Language|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 17, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $49.4M
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Surround

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