Review of Just Mercy (2019) by Rebecca31 — 26 Jan 2020

Based on real events, Just Mercy leaves you speechless. It's a harrowing journey that will make your blood boil and stay with you long after you leave the cinema.

World-renowned civil rights defence attorney Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) moves to Alabama in the 1980s to defend wrongly condemned death row prisoners. With the help of Eva Ansley (Brie Larson) he works on his first case, Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx). Although the case was built on very little evidence and some questionable testimony, McMillian was put on death row for the murder of an 18-year-old girl. Bryan delves into this case in a desperate attempt to free a man condemned to death for a horrific crime.

Michael B. Jordan doesn't give an angry shouty storming around the courtroom type of performance you almost expect him to give. Instead giving a much more subtle but very powerful performance that dominates every scene. Foxx gives an equally moving performance as the tormented death row inmate. There's lots of opportunities to develop their characters and how both performances were completely overlooked for any awards is beyond me. There's a lot to dislike about awards season and this kind of blatant snubbing is one of them. Stevenson comes up against constant racism and bias during his time working with convicted dead row inmates. Just Mercy is definitely a movie to make you re-evaluate your stance on the death penalty.

I was not familiar with any of the details of this story and the injustice and corruption is not only shocking in itself it's also shocking as to how recent this is. Just Mercy gives you a lot to think about, highly emotional and highly recommended.