‘Runaway Jury’ loses audience at times

PEGGY J. ROGERS

Courtroom drama has become such a popular staple of television shows

that movies need a fresh approach to attract viewers out of their

easy chairs and into the theater. “Runaway Jury” achieves that by

focusing on the jurors. It’s been done before in films such as “12

Angry Men,” “The Devil’s Advocate” and “The Juror,” but the plot

twists and turns in “Runaway Jury” set it apart from its

predecessors.

The lawyers are separated by more than the basic defense vs.

prosecution distinction. They have opposing points of views regarding

what it takes to win their cases and what measures they will take to

win. Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman), a seasoned lawyer stills clings

to the belief that at the end of the day truth wins over greed. The

highly-paid jury specialist, Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman), hired by

the defense only cares about winning. He’s been hired by a gun

manufacturer to secure a “not guilty” vote using any means available.

Rankin chooses blackmail as his weapon of choice, using every

high-tech surveillance device at his disposal to achieve his goal.

The title itself suggests the jury is out of control and on a

collision course, and it does exactly that. Rankin and Wendell,

however, find themselves broadsided by one of the jurors, Nicolas

Easter (John Cusack, “Hi Fidelty.”) He’s a curious mix of both men.

Like, Rankin, Nicolas uses any means available to achieve his goals,

including blackmail. Unlike Rankin, Easter doesn’t have the stomach

for hardball tactics so like Wendell, there’s something good about

the man.

“Runaway Jury” is also out of control in another way. It careens

between plausible turn of events and unbelievable means to achieve

them. For example, once sequestered with the rest of the jurors,

Nicholas Easter takes to slipping away on numerous occasions to take

care of his personal business. Also, the subplots developing about

the jurors related to what they are being blackmailed about are never

resolved. One supporting character drops out completely from sight

halfway through the film. These details and stories are left

unanswered or explained, and although minor, makes one wish Runaway

Jury was a weekly television drama in order to learn the outcomes of

the lives and characters that successfully ran away from the story.

* PEGGY J. ROGERS, 40, produces commercial videos and

documentaries.