"Just Mercy" is the fourth feature-length movie of Maui native Destin Daniel Cretton, but only the second "non-indie" one; after his indie success "Short Term 12" (which starred Brie Larson), he and colleague Andrew Lantham adapted gossip columnist Jeannette Walls' auto-biography "The Glass Castle" (Sneak #1183) into a movie (again starring Brie Larson). "Just Cause" is also is based on an auto-biography, albeit more akin to "Short Term 12" in its humanist, socially-conscious roots than his previous sneak film. It once again features Oscar winner Brie Larson in a notable (this time supporting) role, which makes me wonder whether she'll turn up in his next movie, too - as that will be a marvel feature, and she's playing Captain Marvel in the MCU, it would not be entirely unexpected.
"Just Mercy", however, is no laughing matter, and not the first sneak film to portrait the enduring undercurrent of racial bias - and outright racism - in the USA, especially in the south. Furthermore, wrongful incarceration and the difficulty of overturning even so obviously an erroneous verdict as is at the center of this movie, is also a recurring theme in films and at the sneak. These - plus a pinch of criticism of the death penalty in general - themes are at the center of "Just Mercy", as can be seen in the trailer:
The film stays pretty close to the actual events, at least according to our friends at History vs. Hollywood.
How did you like the film? What did you think about the performances, mainly of Michael B. Jordan as attorney Bryan Stevenson and Jamie Foxx as death row inmate Walter McMillan, plus Brie Larson as activist Eva Ansley? What about the other side, from Tim Blake Nelson as (false) witness Ralph Myers to Michael Harding as Sheriff Tate, Rafe Spall as D.A. Chapman, and Hayes Mercure as prison officer Jeremy, plus Rob Morgan and O'Shea Jackson jr as death row inmates? How did you like the dialogues, plus the numerous speeches? Please put your thoughts about the film into a reply to this post, you don't have to send them by process server.
