Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Juror #2Juror #2 ends on a cliffhanger that leaves unanswered questions. The film, directed by Clint Eastwood from a screenplay by Jonathan A. Abrams, sees Nicholas Hoult’s character, Justin Kemp, called in for jury duty, only to realize he was at the bar the night James Michael Sythe allegedly killed his girlfriend Kendall. Justin’s memory starts to show the audience that he may not have hit a deer as previously believed, but Kendall herself. Justin is wracked with guilt throughout Eastwood’s movie, and he jumps through hoops to ensure he isn’t implicated in the murder while trying to prove James’ innocence.

After the jury decides on a guilty verdict, the judge sentences James to life in prison. Faith Killebrew, now district attorney, is also there and she’d had her suspicions about the case after a run-in with Harold. Suspecting Justin has more to hide than initially believed, Faith confronts him outside the courthouse. Justin indirectly implies that the night he may have hit Kendall was an accident and that he and Faith both had people they needed to protect. Justin suggests Faith would lose her job and be hounded by the press. Shortly after, however, Faith shows up on Justin’s doorstep.

What Happens To Justin Kemp At The End Of Juror #2

Faith Pays Him A Suspicious Visit

Justin had just sold the car he’d allegedly hit Kendall with a year before and, following James’ sentencing, he believed himself free from the case, though he seemingly still felt guilty. But Justin might not be living the happily ever after life he’d imagined for himself and his family. Faith’s arrival is ambiguous since she doesn’t actually say anything to Justin when she arrives at his house, but Juror #2’s ending suggests the case is far from over. Faith, true to her name, was having a crisis of faith after realizing Kendall’s death may have been caused by a hit-and-run.

She may have been there to convince Justin to turn himself in or to tell him he is now a suspect in the case. That will reopen the investigation. She could have recorded their conversation to push him to reveal the truth of that night. Faith doesn’t seem to have taken Justin’s underhanded warnings about her job lightly. Either way, he’s in a vulnerable position. Justin ultimately sees himself as a good man in a tough spot and who opts to protect his family. Faith showing up at his house may make him change his mind about doing something.

Faith may also have to force his hand because she knows now that James may have not murdered Kendall after all. Justin will likely have to directly deal with the consequences of his actions. At the same time, the fact that Faith didn’t show up with the police indicates Justin’s not under arrest just yet. Regardless of the outcome, Faith probably won’t let Justin off the hook so easily. She could have walked away and closed the door on the case forever, but she didn’t and Justin will, in one way or another, have to deal with what he’s done.

James’ Guilty Verdict & Sentencing In Juror #2 Explained

James Doesn’t Come Out Of The Trial Unscathed

James was found guilty of malice murder, which is considered the most severe form of murder in Georgia, where Juror #2 takes place. The judge sentenced James to life in prison with no option for parole. This outcome was relieving to Justin because it meant he was off the hook. With the case closed and a verdict made, James probably can’t be retried for the same crime under double jeopardy law. However, if there is significant evidence pointing to James’ innocence and a new suspect in Justin, it’s possible James’ conviction could lead to a new trial.

However, the new evidence must so strongly point to Justin as a suspect that it would cast reasonable doubt on James as the murderer and undermine his original trial. The fact that Justin was at the bar and could even be considered a witness while serving on the jury meant to decide James’ fate might be enough to cast doubt on James being Kendall’s killer. Still, James’ guilty verdict and sentencing could prolong the journey toward a new trial and appeal, making things more complicated and harrowing for both parties involved.

Did Justin Actually Hit Kendall With His Car?

The Film Builds A Case Of Reasonable Doubt

Juror #2 keeps the details of the night Kendall died vague enough for the audience to have reasonable doubt about what occurred. Justin has flashbacks to memories of that night — of him in the bar, of holding a drink in his hand but not drinking, of getting in his car and then seeing the deer sign after hitting something with his car. But the fact that the film never actually confirms that Justin hit Kendall, or that James did anything after he followed his girlfriend down the road suggests doubt and gaps in the truth to keep viewers guessing.

Are Justin’s memories correct? Was he lying about not drinking? These questions don’t provide clear answers and, fabricated or not, one of Juror #2’s final flashbacks shows James turning his car around on Quarry Road before Justin drives by. This also leads to questions about whether James was telling the truth about not following Kendall down the road with his car. At the same time, the courtroom drama doesn’t detail Justin seeing Kendall’s body on the rocks below, though he seems fairly sure that he hit her throughout the movie. All told, the evidence is inconclusive and open to interpretation.

Why Justin Stopped Trying To Convince The Jury Of James Sythe’s Innocence

Justin Was At A Crossroads By The End Of The Film

Justin wanted James to go free because of his own guilt. He couldn’t stand the idea of a man serving prison time and being convicted as a killer when there’s a possibility James didn’t commit the crime he’s accused of. However, Justin realized if the jury didn’t make a decision, it would lead to a mistrial and James would either have to go through this again or the prosecution would go looking for another suspect. That suspect would likely be Justin, especially after the theory of a hit-and-run accident began to gain prominence amongst the other jurors.

Justin stopped trying to convince the jury of James Sythe’s innocence because he withstood to lose a lot more if he didn’t — his family, his life, his credibility. The trial had become more complicated than Justin had anticipated when he first discovered he may have hit Kendall that fateful night. Between the jury having a former detective — played by J.K. Simmons, who is among Juror #2’s star-studded cast — and Faith no longer being 100 percent onboard with James being guilty, Justin had a lot stacked against him and he was continuously being cornered throughout the film.

The Real Meaning Of Juror #2

The Movie’s Moral Dilemma Makes For A Thoughtful Thriller

Eastwood’s potentially last movie is essentially a moral and ethical dilemma as it considers what it means to be a good man who does the right thing, the small actions that lead to bigger consequences, bias, and guilt. Justin, genuinely believing he hit a deer the night Kendall died, thought he was helping to acquit James. It was misguided and selfish, but Juror #2 asks the audience, who are in their own way the jury, to think about the moral insinuations Justin’s actions — and inaction, in certain instances — have.

The film is also a light criticism of the flawed legal system. At various points in the film, characters discuss confirmation bias, the police’s hatred of paperwork, and the refusal to look into other suspects for the case, as well as the jury’s unwillingness (at least at first) to think about the arguments they heard throughout the case before making their decision. The legal system, and everyone in it, was determining James’ fate, and the fact he went to prison as a potentially innocent man underscores the system’s imperfections.

How The Juror #2 Ending Was Received

The Final Scene Was A Standout For Critics

Juror #2 earned solid reviews upon its release, but if there was one moment that made the whole movie worthwhile, many of the critics agree that it is how the ending wraps it all up. Christy Lemire with RogerEbert.com gave a solid if not hugely enthusiastic positive review to Juror #2, but mentioned that the final scene elevates the entire thing and makes it the kind of movie that people want to talk about long after the credits roll:

“Juror #2” may feel like a modest procedural for most of its running time. Still, the ending is a doozy, and it’s one you’ll want to have a conversation about afterward – hopefully with other grown-ups who still enjoy this kind of meaty, sturdy entertainment.

Other critics pointed out the surprise of the movie going in that direction in the final scene and how impactful it was. A. A. Dowd with Vulture specifically pointed to how the ending completely changed the tone of the movie and left the audience with a much different and more effective message than the one it has been seemingly building up to:

It offers a vision of an America ruled, and maybe ruined, by self-interest. Until the last scene, that is. Here, a glimmer of optimism at last appears via one lawyer’s virtuous rejection of self-interest. Not for nothing, perhaps, is she named Faith. By ending with the implication that she’ll do the right thing — that she’ll pursue justice no matter the cost — Eastwood expresses a measure of hope for a system that’s only as good as the people entrusted to uphold its principles. What an oddly inspiring note on which to end the movie, and maybe to end a whole career of spirit-dampening morality tales.

While it is still not completely confirmed that Juror #2 is Clint Eastwood’s final movie, Maxance Vincent with Film Speak gave a rave review of the movie and suggested that the ending leaves Eastwood’s career on a perfect note; a completely satisfying conclusion that leaves the audience wanting more:

He doesn’t look like age will stop him from churning out something else, but there’s a pure sense of finality in Juror #2’s ending that it’s hard not to want more from him.