Summary

• Hank from The Judge channels Sherlock Holmes' deduction skills in a bar scene, reminiscent of Downey Jr.'s previous role.
• Both Hank and Sherlock exhibit confidence and blunt honesty, despite their differing professions and personalities.
• Despite similarities, Hank in The Judge shows more emotion and a stronger family bond compared to the cold, calculating Sherlock Holmes.

Despite being from different genres and having completely different stories, The Judge repeated a Robert Downey Jr. trick from a franchise released 15 years ago. Robert Downey Jr. has explored a variety of genres in his career as an actor, and in 2014, he starred in the legal drama The Judge. Directed by David Dobkin, The Judge stars Robert Downey Jr. as Hank Palmer, a successful lawyer living in Chicago. When his mother dies, Hank returns to his hometown and reunites with his brothers and his estranged father, Joseph Palmer (Robert Duvall).

Joseph Palmer is the judge of Carlinville’s criminal court, and as such, he's a respected figure in the community, but Hank’s complex and tense relationship with him soon creates friction in the family. As Hank is about to return home, he’s forced to go back to Carlinville as his father is a suspect in a fatal hit-and-run, and so he represents his father in court. The Judge focuses on Hank’s personal relationships, but it has some lighter moments in the middle of the drama, including one where Downey Jr. repeats a trick from one of his best characters.

Hank Does Sherlock Holmes’ Deduction Trick At The Bar In The Judge

Hank Pulled A Sherlock Holmes On Some Drunk Guys

The most defining characteristic of the great Sherlock Holmes is his deduction skills.

In 2009, Robert Downey Jr. starred in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes as the Great Detective, alongside Jude Law as Dr. John Watson. Downey Jr. perfectly embodied the famous detective's sharp and blunt personality, along with his unique eccentricities and his trouble connecting with most people. However, the most defining characteristic of the great Sherlock Holmes is his deduction skills. Holmes is able to “read” a person just by looking at them, which is very useful in his cases, and though Hank Palmer isn’t a detective, he does the same trick in The Judge.

After their mother’s funeral, Hank and his brothers, Glen (Vincent D’Onofrio) and Dale (Jeremy Strong), go to a local bar, where they reminisce about their younger years and their relationship with their father. When a man at the bar begins to insult Dale and their father, Glen gets up to defend his family, but Hank stops them by asking who’s on parol. Hank then begins to “read” the man and his companions, correctly deducing they have DUI, possession of illegal substances, and domestic violence charges. The men leave, but Hank then does the same trick with Carla (Leighton Meester), the bartender.

How Hank Palmer Compares To Sherlock Holmes

Hank & Sherlock Have Some Similarities

Both are very confident and know the value of their abilities, leading them to not tolerate being treated as less than they deserve.

Hank and Sherlock Holmes had different yet somewhat related jobs, and while they seem to be different in terms of personality, they actually have some similarities (arguably brought by being played by the same actor). Both Hank and Sherlock are very direct and honest, and often lack sensitivity, which leads to tension and conflict with others. Hank and Sherlock can also be very selfish and egotistical, but Hank is a lot more likely to notice this and change it. Both are very confident and know the value of their abilities, leading them to not tolerate being treated as less than they deserve.

However, Hank has a much stronger family foundation than Sherlock, despite their many conflicts and misunderstandings, which makes him less cold and emotionless than Holmes. Hank only does the “deduction trick” in that one scene at the bar, and in court, he just does his job as a lawyer, while Holmes shows off his abilities at any given chance. It’s unknown if Hank and his “deduction” moment in The Judge was a nod to Sherlock Holmes or not, but it’s a fun connection between them.