Heading to the theater to see The Judge, I was optimistic and cautious at the same time. I knew very little about the film, and the trailers more or less focused on the Robert Duvall vs Robert Downey Jr. angle. Yet, I left just as conflicted as I came. The Judge is not what I thought it would be. I thought I would be like watching the re-birth of the 90’s era John Grisham films: hot shot lawyer helping presumed innocent father, using nothing but his raw instincts and sharp eye. What I found was a funny, heartwarming, and often too life-like depiction of family turmoil.

Robert Duvall is a legend and he proves it in almost every scene of this film. He plays a local Judge serving the wonderful state of Indiana for over forty years. This role fits Duvall like a glove. One minute in, I felt how ingrained he was in the beautiful town he served. I could feel the deep anger and regret he had towards his family, especially his middle son, Hank (Robert Downey Jr.). Hank is a Northwestern educated lawyer who is, at best, an emotionally shallow ignoramus. He claims to love his life – beautiful wife, large house, and nice cars. Yet, there is one thing he does not have: purpose. Downey plays Hank flawlessly, and his quick wit and big city charm is the perfect opposite to Duvall’s small town bravado.

Upon finding out that his mother has passed, Hank heads back to the small town he grew up in, facing his long estranged family in the process. Just as he’s about to leave, he’s pulled back on account of a murder/accident that involves his father. What is Hank to do? Well, the answer is simple: begrudgingly take the case to help his father out. And what does that leave filmgoers with? Very little action, but a decent number of laughs, and a ton of angst.

The Judge is your typical coming-to-terms-with-life drama. There is one thing that sets it apart, though. It makes you think hard about the connections you have with your family members. It makes you realize that each connection you have, whether it’s with your mom, dad, sibling, is different and serves a specific purpose. Finally, The Judge shows that as much as you say you want to be nothing like your family ‘when you grow up,’ your identity is and will always be molded by family.

Rounding out the cast is Vincent D’Onofrio and Jeremy Strong, who play the roles of Hank’s brothers, Glenn and Dale. We also get a very underused Billy Bob Thornton as Dwight, the prosecutor trying to take down the Judge (Duvall), and the always beautiful Vera Farmiga as Samantha, Hank’s high school sweetheart.

I, for one, enjoyed the hell out of this film and hope that everyone will give it a chance, but in full disclosure, I must add that this movie is not for everyone. If you think you will walk in and see Iron Man himself taking down a small town of wrong-doers, you will be greatly disappointed. But, if you walk in with your heart open, you may actually find something inside of yourself that has been lost or missing.