Review by Dragan Antulov
1 star out of 4
Actress Bonnie Bedelia is best known for the role of
protagonist's wife in DIE HARD, and because of that and her
relatively plain looks, she was destined to play similar
roles and thus remain second or third fiddle in many other
films. So, it was very refreshing to see Bonnie Bedelia
playing main character for a change in JUDICIAL CONSENT,
1994 courtroom thriller written and directed by William
Bindley. Protagonist of the film (played by Bedelia) is
Judge Gwen Warwick, one of the major candidates for the
prestigious post in Michigan Supreme Court. Being ambitious
professional, she spends a lot of time in law libraries in
order to ensure her nomination and prepare for her new
responsibility. There she meets young Martin (played by
Billy Wirth), who seems to be pleasant alternative to her
boring husband Alan (played by Will Patton). A murder of her
old mentor is an event that would turn her life upside-down
and endanger her career. She becomes a judge in that
particular case, and, to make things even worse, there are
plenty of evidence that might point towards her as a
perpetrator of the crime.
Shot with a relatively low budget (and probably even lower
ambitions of its authors), JUDICIAL CONSENT is in some ways
better than it is to be expected form this sort of film.
Thanks to very capable cast of character actors, acting is
very good, and music by Christopher Young is pleasing to the
ears. Unfortunately, all this is not enough to improve
impression given by complicated plot that is resolved in
rush and predictable, and therefore, unsatisfactory manner.
All in all, those who see JUDICIAL CONSENT might have a
feeling that they had seen this film before. Those who don't
will not miss much.
Copyright © 2001 Dragan Antulov
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out of 4
