Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) is a big city, high priced defense attorney who doesn’t know the meaning of ‘losing’. In fact, he’ll do practically anything to win. Hank is a master manipulator of the law and his services are available to the highest bidder…To say he’s a ‘workaholic’ is an understatement. One of the main reasons, his wife is divorcing him.

When the film begins, Hank is just about to win another big case, when he gets a call. His beloved mother has died. Hank has no choice but to return to his hometown of Carlinville, Indiana for the funeral. This is something he’s not looking forward to. He hasn’t been home in over twenty years, mainly to avoid contact with his overly critical, disapproving father, Joseph aka THE JUDGE.(the incredible Robert Duvall) But his father isn’t the only one Hank hasn’t spoken to…He’s had no contact for years with his two brothers, Glen (Vincent D’Onofrio) an ex high-school football player and his youngest sibling, mentally challenge, Dale (Jeremy Strong) Hank is definitely dreading this homecoming.

Lucky for him, the first person he sees isn’t a family member, but an old love…high school sweetheart, Sam (Vera Farmiga) She’s a big reminder of his past and what could have been.

After the funeral and getting a very chilly reception from his father, Downey can’t wait till return to his life in Chicago. Of course that doesn’t happen. If it did, we wouldn’t have a film. Sitting on the airplane, waiting for it to take-off, Hank gets a phone call telling him that…

The Judge, who has been on the bench for over 42 years, has been accused of murder.

Despite, his father protests Hank takes his case and in doing so, proves that ‘You can go home again’, but it may not be as much fun as you remember.

‘The Judge’ directed by David Dobkin (‘Wedding Crashers’) is based on a story idea he had for Robert Downey. It’s a deeply moving film about family as well as the complexity of relationships between fathers and their sons.

Everyone in the film, including, Billy Bob Thornton as Dwight Dickham, a prosecutor out to defeat Hank, is quite good, but the standout, is Robert Duvall. He gives an exquisite performance…layered…nuanced…and absolutely mesmerizing.

I gave ‘The Judge’ which opens in theatres, Friday October 10th a bagel rating of 41/2 out of 5. Of course Duvall gets a big 5.