Just Mercy

Legal dramas can often feel less than interesting as, with a few exceptions, their outcomes are inevitable. A real-life case increases a little more since people, unlike characters, are not as predictable. So many elements are combined in the 2019 film “Just Mercy” in a bid to make it stand out from the many similar films that have come before it.

Harvard Law graduate Bryan Stevenson, played by Michael B. Jordan, moves to Alabama in the early 1990s to try to help prisoners on death row who may have been wrongfully convicted. One of those prisoners is Walter “Johnny D” McMillian (Jamie Foxx), who was convicted of killing a woman based almost completely on the testimony of another convicted killer, Ralph Myers (Tim Blake Nelson).

With the help of clerk Eva Ansley, played by Brie Larson) and others, Stevenson works day and night for McMillian and others like him. This being the South and Stevenson being black, he runs into strange obstacles and racism of all types on his case. It’s only through pure determination and the help of some people willing to stand up against the system that he and McMillian stand a chance.

Alex Bentley said in his review, “Directed and co-written by Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12), the film holds a steady pace that lays out the story well. There are the expected ups and downs of the appeals process, but Cretton and co-writer Andrew Lanham keep things sharp by not solely relying on clichés and mixing up the perspective of the story.”

Stevenson is the main character and it’s his work that is highlighted completely, but supporting characters are given a lot to do. While we don’t get to know Ansley all that well, it’s clear that she is a person of great depth and compassion. Time spent with McMillian in prison produces some of the most emotion of the film thanks to his friendships with other death row prisoners Herbert Richardson (Rob Morgan) and Anthony Ray Hinton (Ice Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson, Jr.).

Bentley noted, “Unlike some other films with race at their center (cough, Green Book, cough), Just Mercy is rarely heavy-handed with its depictions of racism faced by Stevenson, McMillian, and others. There are instances when a situation feels over the top, but a step back makes you realize that what African Americans face in a state like Alabama is immensely more complicated than most people can even fathom.”

Bentley credited, “Jordan, as he’s shown many times in the past decade, is a strong presence even when the role calls for him to take a backseat to others. Both Larson and Foxx are saddled with some distracting hair at times, but the talent of each actor shines through despite that hinderance.”

“Just Mercy” was an Oscar contender if 2019 wasn’t already one of the strongest movie years in recent memory. As it stands, it’s another great film for Jordan, Larson, Foxx, and Cretton, and a reminder that advocates like Stevenson are needed to make sure our justice system remains fair for everyone.

I was trying to find another movie to watch in preparation for this month, and I researched movies to watch around Black History Month. One of the lists had said this movie needed to be seen, so I checked it out. You can watch it on HBO Max, and it is another autobiographical film that is actually a good movie. Check it out because you will love it. Sure, there are parts that will make you feel upset, but that’s what happens when you see movies that take place during a time of high racism. Still see it because I think everyone will love this movie.

Look out on Monday for my yearly President’s Day movie review.