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Judgment

Judgment

No one stands beyond the reach of the law, not even the Church.

TV movie199090 minPG-13Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Director
Tom Topor
Starring
Keith Carradine, Blythe Danner, Jack Warden, David Strathairn

Fact-based story of a Louisiana priest accused of molesting young parishioners, and of the family of one of his victims, caught between their loyalty to their son and to their Church.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Judgment?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Judgment streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Judgment?

Judgment earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Judgment worth watching?

Judgment's Midcredits score is the 60th percentile of all films, from 895 ratings across 4 sources. 56% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

60th percentile

Better received than 60% of films

60th percentile among Drama63rd percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)57th
Approval (how many liked it)61st

63 /100

57th percentile of all films

57th percentile among Drama61st percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

56% liked it

61st percentile of all films

60th percentile among Drama63rd percentile among 1990s
56% rated it 7–1044% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

35th percentile

895 ratings across platforms

37th percentile among Drama28th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 11% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A priest molests boys and the church tries to cover it up, leading to a family's legal battle.

Fans praised

  • brave portrayal of church cover-up
  • strong performances from the cast
  • emotional impact of family's fight for justice

What stands out

Emotional impact85

deeply disturbing and angering

Acting78

powerful and realistic performances, especially Strathairn and Danner

Ending75

satisfying climax of family's stand

Characters72

well-drawn family and priest with depth

Tension70

builds from disbelief to confrontation

Plot and story65

predictable but effective true-story structure

Originality62

daring for its time but familiar TV-movie formula

Pacing55

rushed start and slow middle

Watch experience

What is Judgment like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something to think about afterwards.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
TenseDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its subject with gravity and earnestness, portraying the horrors of abuse and institutional cover-up without irony or distance.
The rideThe film sustains a consistent pressure of tense dread from the discovery of abuse through the legal ordeal.
StructureA conventional, linear story following the family's legal battle against the church, with no structural experimentation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingInfuriating · 4% of films: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer outraged at the church's cover-up and thoughtful about institutional corruption.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% (this title) · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Institutional injustice: A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe family fights to expose the church's cover-up of a priest's molestation, making the institution itself the monster they must overcome.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of filmsFamily bonds
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a family’s fight to hold the Church accountable, focusing on the pursuit of legal and moral justice against institutional betrayal.
StanceThe film warns about institutional cover-ups of clergy abuse, centering on the Guitry parents' fight for justice.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Cliff Eidelman
Settinga small Louisiana town where the Catholic Church dominates local life
MusicA subdued orchestral score reinforces the film's grave, serious tone.

Content guide

Is Judgment okay for kids?

PG-13

Judgment is rated PG-13. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (22/100), sexual content at moderate (47/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (8/100) and frightening material at moderate (44/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (19 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Judgment have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Judgment?

Cast

Keith Carradine
as Pete Guitry
Blythe Danner
as Emmeline Guitry
Jack Warden
as Claude Fortier
David Strathairn
as Father Frank Aubert
Michael Faustino
as Robbie Guitry
Bob Gunton
as Monsignor Beauvais
Mitchell Ryan
as Dave Davis
Robert Joy
as Mr. Hummel
Steve Hofvendahl
as Daniel Broussard
Mary Joy
as Madeleine Broussard

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Judgment?

Movies like Judgment include North Country (2005) and By the Grace of God (2018), both stories of institutional injustice.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Judgment?

2.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: true crime. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.