Oct. 29--If you've seen "The Judge," you know there's a lot going on in this movie. There's a story about an estranged father (Robert Duvall) and son (Robert Downey Jr.). There's a criminal mystery involving the dad. There's a courtroom drama. There's a love story. There's a nod to the sublime, sugary pleasures found in a piece of Bit-O-Honey.
So it isn't particularly surprising to hear that director David Dobkin had a much longer version of the movie that he had to whittle down in the editing room.
"And we'll be screening the 16-hour version after the Q," Downey joked at the Envelope Screening Series presentation of "The Judge."
Said Dobkin: "We ran a very loose, cinema-verite '70s acting performance workshop, and everything grew and expanded and changed. It needed some tucking."
Dobkin complimented Downey, saying he was very "brave" in cutting some great scenes from the movie.
"Yeah, whatever," Downey said, smiling. "I'll put them on my reel."
For more clips from "The Judge" screening -- in which the group discusses various approaches to rehearsing and the increased pressure of being an actor-producer -- check back here through the week.
