Review of Marshall (2017) by Zanele J — 17 Mar 2018

Film Review by Zanele Arlington Jiane.

Marshall uses novel characters to make its point; Josh Gad has since been screaming to hardened soldiers in PIXELS to be their worst nightmare which he was n't. In this film, he proves to be the plaintiff's nightmare though.

I am a bit surprised as to why I only find out about Judge Thurman Marshal who has contributed so much to American History especially in the lives of Black People to have his film released now, and I believe more films depicting his life should be mandated and produced. He is a titanic role model for liberation movements everywhere. Even Martin Luther King's movies are not made, compare that to the many films, and mini-series episodes depicting the life of Mandela is South Africa.

The young Thurman Marshall is portrayed gracefully by Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), who has been "gagged" by the Judge Forster to not speak during the trial. Marshall works for the NAACP and seeks to exonerate wrongfully accused Black people who are charged merely because of their colour.

Sam Friedman (Josh Gad) is therefore compelled to be lead counsel for Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown).

The motion picture has no volcanic drama and needs to be approached slowly, those looking for nail-biting suspense will be disappointed, nevertheless, the film is lightly engrossing. James Cromwell is the dramatic pivot of this film, all turning points are around his character and manufactures all dramatic episodes.

Newton Thomas Siegel and long-time collaborator of Bryan Singer of the X Men fame directed the cinematography. His lighting of the films is commensurate with the period and decent enough to see in those dark courthouse and night scene, in a world where colours were tan, black, brown and navy blue, one make out clear faces and knives when they are drawn.

Communication of truth being central, writers make every effort to show us barriers as when Friedman and Marshall were communicating the verdict, telephones lines were indistinct to the point where Marshall tried to compliment Friedman that message was lost, this shows the difficulty too of everyday communication for Black people to be heard.

Gad plays Friedman seriously, his comic side gravely muted. Boseman is shocking to hear him without Wakanda accent, and this is my first time I see him outside of Marvel. Brown is unrecognisable as he is transformed from since he played The People vs OJ, I had to enlist the help of the internet to figure out who this familiar face is. Kate Hudson plays a conflicted victim of sexual assault and plays both sides of the story convincingly - she plays two sides, one as a consensual sex partner and another as a victim.