On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be anything new with Destin Daniel Cretton’s “Just Mercy.” It joins a long line of adaptations, particularly within the last decade. It deals with courtroom drama, and all of the racial implications along with the American justice system, especially in the South. It pairs a young actor on the rise, Michael B. Jordan (“Creed,” “Black Panther,” and “Fruitvale Station“), with an older one who has a track record of excellence, Jamie Foxx (“Ray” and “Django Unchained“).
“Just Mercy” will ride the wave of star power more than other adaptations. Even in the trailer, you can see the chemistry that Jordan and Foxx will have in the film. They both have made movies with high levels of emotional impact, and will look to pull on every heartstring in the audience.
Here is the official synopsis per IMDb:
A powerful and thought-provoking true story, “Just Mercy” follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Larson). One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx), who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds—and the system—stacked against them.
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Outside of Jordan and Foxx, the film boasts an impressive supporting cast, including Oscar-winner Brie Larson (“Room“) and Tim Blake Nelson, a Coen brothers favorite who is rapidly gaining fans due to his role in “Watchmen.” The cast carries a story that many people will feel they’ve already seen, regardless of its inspiration, heart, or importance.
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Cretton’s film implores you to start prepping the tears even within the various trailers that have been released, and you can tell the path this story will follow. Though the story might not be anything completely new, the factual basis for it helps the case for watching this film. These are true stories about real people, played by incredible actors. When you boil it down to that simple sentence, “Just Mercy” sounds not just watchable, but a must-see.
“Just Mercy” will be released on January 10, 2020, by Warner Bros.