Just Mercy: First-rate Cast

Just Mercy is another story about real people.

Just Mercy was released on April 14. Viewers can try Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital. The Digital format appeared early on March 17.

MERCY

Just Mercy is ‘Certified Fresh’ on Rotten Tomatoes with 83%. It made about $50 million worldwide.

(It was even one of President Barack Obama’s favourite movies of 2019.)

The film is the true story of a young lawyer named Bryan Stevenson. The book, “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” published in 2014 by Spiegel and Grau, the book has spent more than 196 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers List - AND is still on the list.

The Harvard graduate decided to move to Alabama to help those who were wrongly condemned or were not afforded proper representation. He has the big support of one local, at least, Eva Lindsay. The creation of the Equal Justice Initiative is born and is something that still exists today.

One of the first cases happened to be Walter McMillian, who in 1987 was sentenced to die for the murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite evidence proving he did not do it.

But people aren’t pleased with the fact that Stevenson is looking into this case.

Destin Daniel Cretton directs the film. The cast included Michael B. Jordan as Stevenson, Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson as McMillian and Lindsay. There is also Rob Morgan, Tim Blake Nelson, Rafe Spall, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Karen Kendrick.

Just Mercy is rated PG-13 for thematic content, including racial epithets.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes.

The cast is first-rate in this. While Michael B. Jordan holds his own in the Creed movies with Rocky Balboa- he is excellent here as the lead. I can’t say I’ve seen a lot of Jamie Foxx’s films, but this feels like one of the best roles of his in years.

Brie Larson has a scaled-back role after movies like Room and Captain Marvel, but she’s a strong here, playing tough as a woman not ready to back down from the fight for what she thinks is right.

The film may have been snubbed at the Oscars but won big at the NAACP Image Awards. (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People.) Best Actor Michael B. Jordan, Best Supporting Actor Jamie Foxx, Best Motion Picture and Best Ensemble Cast.

Having already said that it is a true story, it may play out as predictable. And maybe it feels a little long at 137 minutes - it is a drama, it’s a lot of talking and no action scenes.

But the acting is strong, and I thought there were some very impactful and emotional moments stand out along the way.

While Stevenson struggled with putting a stay of execution for a fellow prisoner, eventually, we follow that prisoner to the execution chair. It’s kind of uncomfortable to watch, but tense all the same.   

It shows that even in the 1980s and early 90s, the colour of someone’s skin can still play into people’s perspective/perception. And, sometimes, the justice system doesn’t always work the way we think it should.

I think it’s a movie that will make some impression on the viewer. It’s the cast that makes a story work so well, even if it may feel like you have seen it before somewhere.

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

Making Mercy (4 minutes, 6 seconds.)

- The behind-the-scenes reel and the fact there were so many diverse cast and crew working on the production.

This Moment Deserves (6 minutes, 7 seconds.)

- A look at Stevenson and the work he does. Some of the prisoners featured in the movie are ones that Stevenson got released.

The Equal Justice Initiative - (8 minutes, 10 seconds.)

- Brian Stevenson talks about the Initiative he started and why. And that it has expanded into other areas than just people on death row.

Deleted Scenes (14 minutes, 31 seconds.)

- Extras like Brian debating in school, working a case with a teenager that he was reluctant to do Etc. 

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Richard Jewell: Hero or Suspect?

Richard Jewell is the seventh-movie-in-a-row for director Clint Eastwood about real people.

Richard Jewell was released on March 17. Viewers can try Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital. The Digital format appeared early on March 3.

JEWELL

Clint Eastwood is 89-years-old. For such a long career, there is bound to be some good, bad and the alright.

While his previous work, The Mule, made about a cool $186 million worldwide, Richard Jewell stopped around $44 million.

Critics appeared to be a lot more favourable towards the movie with a 76% on Rotten Tomatoes. The American Film Institute called it one of the Top 10 movies of 2019. The National Board of Review Awards agreed and also awarded Kathy Bates for Best Supporting Actress, and Paul Walter Hauser won Best Breakthrough Performance.

The Academy Awards and Golden Globes nominated Bates for Best Supporting Actress, as well.    

Richard Jewell is based on the true story of the 1996 Olympic Games bombing in Atlanta. The film stars Sam Rockwell as Watson Bryant and Kathy Bates as Richard's mom, Bobi. The movie also stars Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde and Paul Walter Hauser as Richard.

The screenplay was by Oscar nominee Billy Ray. The basis of the story came from the Vanity Fair article, 'American Nightmare: The Ballad of Richard Jewell.' Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill may be the surprising names getting producing credits.           

Richard Jewell is rated R for language, some sexual references and brief bloody images.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes.

Of Eastwood's last few movies, this is easily so much better than The 15:17 to Paris.

The strong acting from the cast. Richard's compelling story of being wrongfully accused that I was not familiar with at all.

It is a dramatized movie, so of course, people will argue it is not 100% accurate. There was much controversy of Olivia Wilde's journalist Kathy Scruggs (also a real person, but she passed away in 2001.) With the implications, Kathy would do a certain kind of 'trade' to get close to the story. (The debates still show up today on the first page of Google results.)

The film is about 132 minutes. The first 20 minutes are a bit slow as they set up the characters. And also show Richard's unusual and quirky behaviour as a security guard on a college campus, which gets him fired, but will grab a different kind of attention later on.

When things move on to the Olympics and Richard's discovery of a mysterious backpack with a bomb in Centennial Park - is where the momentum picks up speed. While people died, and many were injured, everyone agrees Richard saved many more lives that night with his actions.

But with such a worldwide event, people want answers very quickly. So, hearing a little bit of information, the FBI and the media make a quick assumption and jump to the conclusion, well, Richard must have been involved. He becomes the number one suspect.

Paul Walter Hauser is impressive as Richard. His behaviour may be a little off-putting at first, but I kind of warm-up to the character throughout the movie. Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates were also stand-outs with their roles.

(In the special features, Richard's actual mother, couldn't believe how much Paul looked like her son.)

Nevertheless, I think at 89-years-old, Clint Eastwood still proves he has what it takes to run a movie production.               

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

The Making of Richard Jewell (6 minutes, 58 seconds.)

- Clint Eastwood talks about why he wanted to do the story. The production strived for much accuracy as they could. They filmed at the real Centennial Park in Atlanta. The outside views of where Bobi and Richard Jewell live - was where they did live in real-life. The actors talk about being part of the production.

The Real Story of Richard Jewell (6 minutes, 39 seconds.)

- The true Bobi Jewell and Winston Bryant talk about their thoughts of Richard and the movie. The cast talks about the pressures of playing real people.

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