JUST MERCY
Destin Daniel Cretton (2019)
3.5 STARS
Eyes will water as the true story of the life’s-work of Bryan Stevenson documents the court appeal concerning an innocent man sentenced to death. Based on the memoir of the same name penned by Stevenson himself, Just Mercy is a grounding exposition of life for the black community in Alabama in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Fresh out of Harvard, Stevenson journeys south, against his families recommendation, and establishes a law firm to aid under-privileged people that cannot afford representation. With the essence of, and references to, To Kill A Mockingbird, it is a film well worth its salt.
Michael B. Jordan’s excellent depiction of the young lawyer is enhanced by equally moving performances from Jamie Foxx, as the incarcerated Walter ‘Johnny D.’ McMillian, Brie Larson, as co-founder of the Equal Rights Initiative – Eva Ansley, and Tim Blake Nelson, as the man whose unconvincing testimony sent McMillian to death row. The film is less a roller-coaster of emotion than a helter-skelter of sorrow. There is little respite from somber, intense scenes of injustice and abuse of power, as we follow the characters through this court room drama. The humour included is dry and dark and comes few and far between, so grab a tissue before heading to this film if you tend to shed a tear or two.
With a wealth of court room dramas released in recent years, Just Mercy is not among the very best of them, but it is the message of this film, the impact that it will have upon individuals and, hopefully, the American judicial system alike that make it stand out from the crowd. This is a powerful film; it is deep and introspective. This is an important film. Just Mercy is virtually relentless in its onslaught of earnest and saddening scenes. This makes it slightly uncomfortable to sit through, but this re-iterates the point of the film; if innocent men can spend years, decades, on death row, then you can sit through a compelling film for two hours.
Watch this film, consider how hard life can be for some people. Ponder the injustices suffered the world over. Be sure to sit through the credits that are interspersed with updates on the lives of the characters post McMillian’s trial. Then blow your nose and wipe your eyes knowing that this film has, and will continue to have, a positive impact on our society.