Remember when John Grisham adaptations were all the rage? It seems like there was a new adaptation out every year throughout the 1990s. Since the early 2000s it seems Hollywood’s focus has shifted to adapting courtroom dramas based on true stories. Just Mercy tells the story of a young idealistic lawyer (Michael B. Jordan) who decides to forego a lucrative career to take on the case of Walter McMillian, a man stuck on death row (Jamie Foxx).
One of the main concerns often voiced by opponents of the death penalty is the fact that innocent people end up on death row at an alarming rate. The lucky ones end up finding a lawyer, a journalist or a documentarian who manages to prove their innocence and get them out of prison.
Walter McMillian’s case was especially egregious in the fact that there was no physical evidence tying him to the murder, dozens of witnesses who testified he was at a church event during the time of the murder were ignored and a local judge transferred his trial to a county that was nearly all-white so he wouldn’t stand a chance in court. The trial lasted a day and a half and McMillian was found guilty. The fact this film exists tells you the story probably ended on a positive note but that’s not the point. The point is that people shouldn’t have to go through such hardships. Let’s hope this film gets people mad enough to change the current criminal justice system in a significant way.
Just Mercy is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and stars Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Brie Larson and O’Shea Jackson Jr. It will be released on January 10th, 2020 in the U.S. and on January 24th, 2020 in the United Kingdom. For international release dates click here.
Do you miss John Grisham adaptations? Let us know in the comments!
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