Michael B Jordan delivers a great performance as attorney Bryan Stevenson, who saves lives of wrongfully accused individuals on Death Row in “Just Mercy“. But is it worth checking out? Find out in this Just Mercy review. Opens January 22 from Warner Bros Pictures and Ayala Malls Cinemas.

Just Mercy also stars Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and is based on real life events. It’s also important to note that this had a strong impact of the criminal proceedings in the US after a number of high level cases were discussed and called out.

For starters let me just say that I’m not fond of courtroom drama movies. They tend to be dragging and its not just my cup of tea. If you ask me to drop a movie that really left a mark, I’d have to say “A Few Good Men” on the top. But thanks to this Jordan-starrer, I may have added another memorable film to this genre.

For me, the film was easy to understand with very little legal jargon you have to hurdle over. The finer details are done in a smart way that you feel like your part of the investigation, not just observing from afar.

Some of the cast members here totally changed the way they looked for their roles here like O’Shea Jackson (Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Straight Outta Compton) who plays inmate Ray; who I think gained a lot of weight just for the role. Rafe Spall didn’t look the way he did too in other films he’s appeared in.

Brie Larson as Eva Ansley was totally different here. I still don’t get why people say she cant change her facial expressions because I’m seeing depth and range in terms of acting here. She’s also really this emotionally charged assistant for Jordan’s Stevenson who gets things done and wants to get justice for those wrongfully accused. Totally OK in this movie.

We never go wrong with Jamie Foxx and as Walter McMillian aka Johnny D, his performance here swings from one side to another and he has the most meaningful changes in the story. We see him as a defeated man when the movie starts and by the end, he gets his “truth” and his happiness back. His scenes with Michael B Jordan were heavy too.

The other heavy for this film are the themes of racism and prejudice and ironically they kept on referring to the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” which was the golden shining beacon of tolerance and acceptance. I think the filmmakers were definitely keen on hammering that point, how America trods down on black people, which is something that still happens in today’s society especially in the Trump Administration. The good thing about the things that transpired in “Just Mercy” is that the people involved get some sort of redemption and we get some changes too.

Just Mercy Review – Verdict

9/10

Brilliant and mesmerizing, Just Mercy will get you hooked on a story that’s as pertinent then as it is today. The cast shone brightly especially Michael B Jordan’s. It’s a must-see film if you want to take a break from the blockbusters and usual genre that proliferate the cinemas this quarter.

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