After sitting through some rotten movies on Netflix, it was a delight to see "The Burial" on Prime.
This is based on a true story of flamboyant attorney Willie E. Gary (Jamie Foxx) who despite being a personal injury attorney takes on a contract law case on behalf of Jeremiah O'Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones).
The first time we see Willie in court is worth the entire movie - a brilliantly funny monologue. This is an underdog story, of a smaller business taking on a Canadian monolith who is not fulfilling a contract. Jeremiah has never seen anyone quite like Willie - and let's face it, who has - an outrageous, funny, charming man who takes over a courtroom in a split second.
The case gets off to a rough start, in part thanks to an aggressive prosecutor (Jurnee Smolett) who in her own way is as intense as Willie.
Race and poverty figure into this case as it becomes apparent the corporation has been unethical in its dealings. Several times the name Johnnie Cochran comes up as someone to aspire to. I keep remembering him telling Chris Darden about Mark Fuhrman - "Chris, don't put that white boy on the stand." If Willie admires him, it's for good reason.
Jamie Foxx is nothing short of fantastic. And as the quiet, conservative older man, Tommy Lee Jones is terrific as a businessman determined to leave his family a legacy.
Highly recommended - engaging, absorbing, well-paced, beautifully acted and directed.
This is based on a true story of flamboyant attorney Willie E. Gary (Jamie Foxx) who despite being a personal injury attorney takes on a contract law case on behalf of Jeremiah O'Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones).
The first time we see Willie in court is worth the entire movie - a brilliantly funny monologue. This is an underdog story, of a smaller business taking on a Canadian monolith who is not fulfilling a contract. Jeremiah has never seen anyone quite like Willie - and let's face it, who has - an outrageous, funny, charming man who takes over a courtroom in a split second.
The case gets off to a rough start, in part thanks to an aggressive prosecutor (Jurnee Smolett) who in her own way is as intense as Willie.
Race and poverty figure into this case as it becomes apparent the corporation has been unethical in its dealings. Several times the name Johnnie Cochran comes up as someone to aspire to. I keep remembering him telling Chris Darden about Mark Fuhrman - "Chris, don't put that white boy on the stand." If Willie admires him, it's for good reason.
Jamie Foxx is nothing short of fantastic. And as the quiet, conservative older man, Tommy Lee Jones is terrific as a businessman determined to leave his family a legacy.
Highly recommended - engaging, absorbing, well-paced, beautifully acted and directed.