Juror #2

Juror #2, released in 2008, is a psychological thriller directed by Kỷ Dung. The film revolves around Justin Thayer Kemp, a devoted family man who finds himself at a moral crossroads when serving as a juror in a highly publicized murder trial. Justin Kemp, a successful businessman and loving husband, is selected for the jury of a high-profile murder case. The defendant, Mario Sanchez, has been accused of murdering his wealthy ex-wife, Helen. From the onset, Justin is particularly engaged in the case, with key witness testimony and irrefutable evidence placing a member in the victim's residence on the night of the murder. As a loyal husband and father, Justin empathizes with the victim's family and children, whose lives have been forever altered by this gruesome crime. Consequently, it intensifies Justin's opposition to Sanchez's claim of self-defense and incriminates the accused. When deliberations commence, Justin casts a critical eye on Mario for weeks. Desperate in every waking moment, he frequently monitors the media accounts of the case. Despite his fervent opposition towards the murdered victim's death, Justin unexpectedly clashes with his fellow jurors' points of view during discussions on the first day of deliberation. Foremost among the other key jurors is an outspoken, confident supporter of Mario's, a real estate businesswoman and self-described victim advocate named Dana Whedon. Dana's impassioned demeanor and her apparent ability to provide extraordinary points strengthens both her argument for the murder and garner her respect from her fellow jury members. She is matched in strength and persuasion by two other likeminded jurors Justin struggles with, and it complicates Justin's stand. In the span of time, the jurors scrutinize the reams of evidence against Mario and disengage Dana's argument that there is indeed some proof pointing otherwise. Over the period of several days of non-productive debates, their thoughts twist from debates to disagreement and hostility as each member develops differing theories. With conflicting emotions, and real misgivings about the charges of this sensational crime weighing him heavy, a morose, detached, almost apathetic, mood increasingly threatens an erosion of Justin's trust in his position, as the murder victim and the two opposing parties claim that this verdict 'will last forever, lasting as long as they do.'