Greetings again from the darkness. "Let's shake on it." There was a time when a person's word and their handshake was enough to seal a deal - whether it was settling on the price of a horse, the bottom line on a new car, or the buyout of a business. Most of us realize those days are long gone, and now it's too often about winning and taking advantage of every situation, regardless of whether that's at someone else's expense. Jonathan Harr's article from "The New Yorker" serves as the source of this "inspired by a true story" tale, with a script from writer-director Maggie Betts (NOVITIATE, 2017) and co-writer Doug Wright (QUILLS, 2000).
Every movie lover recognizes the advanced warning of "inspired by" and prepares for some artistic license being taken. Enter Oscar winner Jamie Foxx as Willie Gary, a personal injury attorney who is flashy to the point of gaudy. His suits are as colorful as his speech patterns, and he zips through the sky in his aptly named jet, "Wings of Justice." We've all been berated with TV commercials from these obnoxious lawyers, and Willie Gary is all of them rolled into one third-person speaking courtroom orator.
Foxx nails the role and is the perfect counterpoint to his first white client, 75-year-old Jeremiah O'Keefe (Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones), a Biloxi, Mississippi funeral home owner in a financial bind. While Willie Gary and his wife (Amanda Warren, THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI, 2017) live a life so high it's featured on "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous", Jeremiah is a salt-of-the-earth type who shares 13 kids and 24 grandchildren with his wife (Pamela Reed, THE RIGHT STUFF, 1983). Jeremiah cuts a deal with Ray Loewen (Bill Camp, "The Queen's Gambit), owner of a multi-million-dollar conglomerate. Or at least Jeremiah took it as a deal since the two men shook hands on it aboard Loewen's stunning yacht.
What follows are a few too many courtroom drama tropes that would drag the film down if not for the fine performances of the cast. Jeremiah and Willie develop a friendship, despite their contrasting styles and personalities. Willie's adversary in the case is Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollett, SPIDERHEAD, 2022), a top of her Harvard Law Class attorney who has the upper hand on legal issues and a competitiveness to match. Adding depth to the story are Alan Ruck (FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, 1986), Jeremiah's long-time attorney and friend, and Mamoudou Athie (UNDERWATER, 2020) as Hal Dockins, the rookie attorney who brings fresh eyes and keen observations to the proceedings. Athie is a standout here.
There are multiple aspects to the film. The core of the case is about doing what you say you are going to do (the phrase "my word is my bond" comes to mind), while at the same time, elements of racism and bigotry hover over most every scene - sometimes to the extreme (a burial ground for slaves). Since there are no shortage of ultra-serious deep dives into racism and predatory business practices, filmmaker Betts takes a different approach. The end result is an entertaining crowd-pleaser with a few too many close-up shots and a creative use of Toni! Tony! Tone! And other music to set the era for us. This is one that allows the entertainment value to take the lead, while not totally overshadowing the key points it wants to make.
Opens in theaters on October 13, 2023.
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