Forgotten RDJ-Led Crime Drama Unexpectedly Storms Netflix’s Top 10
Robert Downey Jr. suddenly makes a comeback and takes Netflix’s Top 10 chart by storm with a 2014 criminal drama that undeservedly went under your radar.
Before summer 2023, Robert Downey Jr. was primarily known as the Iron Man star, despite his impressive portfolio of lead roles. Christopher Nolan ’s Oppenheimer changed that, starring RDJ in a secondary but essential role that brought the actor a long-deserved Oscar — but even before that, Downey Jr. had some mighty impressive performances that didn’t see him fly around in a red-and-yellow tin can.
In 2014, RDJ Starred in a Divisive Legal Drama
Directed by David Dobkin, 2014’s The Judge stars big-name actors like Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, and others. This criminal/legal drama follows a morally ambiguous lawyer who returns to his hometown to a father who resents him for his practices, but as the old man gets accused of murder, picks up his case despite father’s objections and intends to see it through no matter the cost.
Along the way, Robert Downey Jr.’s character has to get reacquainted with his estranged family he hasn’t seen for years, deal with his stubborn father’s attitude, and dig deep into the truth to uncover who and why decided to frame the old judge. The Judge was nominated for an Oscar but largely went under people’s radars.
The Judge Suddenly Dominates Netflix ’s Top 10
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10 years after its premiere, The Judge made an unexpected comeback last week: according to Netflix’s Top 10 Movies chart, Robert Downey Jr.’s overlooked flick, while taking the seventh spot with 5.3M views, won over every other film on the list in the all-time category with 12.5M hours watched in total. Its closest competitor, Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon 2, lagged just a little behind it with 12.3M hours streamed.
On Rotten Tomatoes, The Judge proved to be a divisive movie. While the critics’ opinions split almost equally, bringing it a measly 49% Tomatometer Score, the viewers largely enjoyed the film, giving it a 72% Audience Score. But IMDb puts an end to this debate by awarding The Judge a solid 7.4/10 in a rare case of generosity.
Source: Netflix