Just Mercy, written by Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Lanham and Bryan Stevenson, based on the book of the latter and directed by the former - Eight out of 10

Just Mercy, written by Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Lanham and Bryan Stevenson, based on the book of the latter and directed by the former

Eight out of 10

This is a note on the film inspired by the book written by Bryan Stevenson

It is probably impossible to find a more important, emotional, significant, shaking, challenging, emotional subject than this motion picture based on real events has, the drama that exposes the racism which was so pervasive in America – and many say still is, given that Trump has been elected and enjoys now his highest approval ratings, from tens of millions of people who identify with the creature who speaks about ‘shit holes’ , countries in Africa that he cannot name (for example Nambia, as he says) ‘alien rapists’ …the list is too long for one of the most vile human beings one can see, never mind a leader in the highest office, ‘the very stable genius’…

Walter McMillan aka always formidable Jamie Foxx is arrested and then found guilty for a murder he had not committed, though the jury wants a life sentence, he is sent by a biased, incompetent, perhaps racist judge on death row and the film is about him, but not just this hero, fro there are so many others trapped in a system wherein money buys freedom – through expensive lawyers and vast sums of money spent on experts, doctors and other legal loopholes that allow the doubt to set in the mind of the jurors.

Indeed, we learn that one in eight of those who have been sentenced to death would be found innocent of the crimes, upon further investigation and analysis of their case, the flawed basis on which corrupt, racist police and prosecutors would convict and jail suspects just because, as one has put it ‘we can look at his face and know right away that he did it’

Bryan Stevenson aka Michael B. Jordan is the knight in not so shining armor that would offer to defend, without pay – this is soothing for the community that has had counselors coming in, making promises, taking money and then deliver no results – the innocent Walter McMillan, though it would be an uphill, exhausting, humiliating struggle.

Alas, this cinephile does not think that the young actor raises to the challenge, but it is just a subjective opinion and given the other views on his performance, it is more likely that he has done very well and this brewer has been unable to see it…

He and his colleague, Eva Ansley aka Brie Larson, winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Room - http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/07/note-on-room-with-brie-larson-and-jacob.html - receive bomb threats, insults, humiliation and in the first stage of the effort to have the case reopened, they are defeated…

The main witness for the accusation, the state, states in court that he had lied during the initial trial and he had been coerced by the state team…furthermore, there are many witnesses that testify for Walter McMillian and his profile, his thereabouts on the day of the horrible murder, but in spite of all this, the judge does not allow the re-opening of the case…

Just Mercy has reminded this cinephile of the classic, magnificent Mississippi Burning, with legendary Cinema God Gene Hackman in the leading role - http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/09/note-on-mississippi-burning-director.html