Juror, The MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +2 1/2 Content: -3

The premise of THE JUROR hangs by a slender thread: the stalking of a juror by the defendant's mafia-type accomplice. The victim-juror, Annie Laird (Demi Moore), is a single mom and a sculptor eking out a living for herself and her 10-year-old son, Oliver (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). She finds herself doing jury duty for a mobster's murder trial and is then stalked by The Teacher (Alec Baldwin), the brains behind the mob. He bugs her house, eavesdropping on every conversation, following her every move, and learning every detail of her life. His purpose is to have her vote to free the defendant. Soon, the lives of Annie and Oliver are threatened as The Teacher even reaches Annie when the jury is sequestered, urging her to sway the other jurors. Despite some lags in the timing and pace, THE JUROR, though unbelieveable, will maintain interest and suspense.

Unfortunately, numerous offensive elements pollute this R-rated film. Annie supplements her income by serving as a church secretary, yet her behavior and foul language don't reflect a religious faith. Some of her sculptures even mock religion. The gangsters spew out many obscenities, crudities and profanities. One graphic sex scene with nudity between The Teacher and a woman doctor ends with the Teacher killing her. Although both are nude, only the woman's breasts are exposed to the camera. Dancers in a Go-Go club are shown in skimpy outfits with rear male and female nudity as they gyrate suggestively. Using graphic violence to entertain, some graphic mob violence includes one particularly chilling scene. The Teacher puts a drunk man behind the wheel of a car and pushes it over a cliff into a lake. A child threatened and an adolescent shot, plus other killings, a forced suicide, property damage and explosions permeate the film. After viewing THE JUROR, many prospective jurors may fear serving on criminal cases. Hopefully, the discerning public will want to avoid this warped view of our justice system.

Preview Reviewer: Bonnie C. Harvey
Distributor: Columbia Pictures, 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232