Just Mercy (2019)

Just Mercy is a historical drama (based on a true story) which premiered in 2019. It is about the criminal justice system in the US, more specifically it is about a case of wrongful conviction in the southern state of Alabama. Here is some basic information about this drama:

** Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

** Writers: Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham

** Based on Bryan Stevenson’s book Just Mercy (2014)

** Language: English

** Run time: ca. 137 minutes

The cast includes the following:

** Michael B. Jordan as Bryan Stevenson – a lawyer

** Jamie Foxx as Walter McMillian – a prisoner

** Brie Larson as Eva Ansley – Bryan’s legal assistant

** Karan Kendrick as Minnie McMillian – Walter’s wife

** Michael Harding as Thomas Tate – sheriff

** Rafe Spall as Tommy Chapman – public prosecutor

** Tim Blake Nelson as Ralph Myers – a prisoner

** Darrell Britt-Gibson as Darnell Houston – a friend of the McMillian family

Since this drama is based on a true story, the basic facts are part of the public record. They are not a secret. Therefore I could mention many of them here, but I am not going to do that. I will only tell you how the story begins. I do not wish to spoil the viewing for anyone.

While this drama is based on a true story, it is not a documentary film. It is a dramatized version of events. Not everything happened exactly as shown here, but the basic story is true.

First I will present the two main characters:

** Bryan Stevenson is an African-American lawyer who has graduated from Harvard University

** Walter McMillian is an African-American prisoner who is on death row

Next I will offer some basic information about the plot, the time and the place:

The story is set in a small town in the southern state of Alabama. The story begins in 1987 when Walter McMillian is arrested by Sheriff Thomas Tate. Walter is accused of murder. The police claim he killed a white women who was killed in 1986, six month before Walter was arrested.

Walter claims he is innocent. But no one believes him, except some members of his family and a few friends. He is tried in a court of law and found guilty. The jury sentences him to life in prison, but the judge changes the sentence to capital punishment. Walter is placed on death row.

Two years later (in 1989) Bryan Stevenson comes to Alabama where he meets Walter and begins to look into his case. The more Bryan studies the case, the more he is convinced that Walter is the victim of a wrongful conviction.

Bryan believes Walter when he says he is innocent. And he wants to help him. The ultimate goal is to prove his innocence in a new court case, so he will be released and exonerated.

This is how the story begins and this is where my presentation ends.

What do reviewers say about this historical drama? Here are the results of three review aggregators:

68 per cent = Meta

75 per cent = IMDb

83 per cent = Rotten Tomatoes (the professional critics)

99 per cent = Rotten Tomatoes (the general audience)

As you can see, the ratings range from good to excellent. I understand the numerous positive reviews. I think they are fully justified. Why?

The script is well-written and the actors play their roles well. The story is captivating, dramatic and often highly emotional. In addition, it is based on a true story.

We know it is based on a true story. But what about historical accuracy? What is fact and what is fiction in this drama?

To answer this question, I will refer to the website History VS Hollywood which investigates the historical accuracy of popular movies and television series which are based on (or inspired by) a true story.

Just Mercy is one of several movies which have been investigated by the people behind this website. What is the result?

According to History VS Hollywood, this movie has a high level of historical accuracy. A few minor details have been altered or invented for dramatic purposes, but most of what we see is true and most of what we hear is true. If you want to know the details, you can visit the website and check for yourself.

What is my conclusion? Just Mercy is a powerful drama about an important topic. I want to go all the way to the top with this drama. I think it deserves a rating of five stars.

PS # 1. Bryan Stevenson and Eva Ansley founded the Equal Justice Initiative in 1989.

PS # 2. Walter McMillian’s case is the subject of the following book: Circumstantial Evidence: Death, Life and Justice in a Southern Town by Pete Earley (1995).

PS # 3. For more information about the criminal justice system in the US, I can recommend the following items:

** The Innocence Files – a documentary series in nine parts about which premiered in 2020

** 13th – a documentary film which premiered in 2016

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 Bryan Stevenson's book Just Mercy

First published in 2014 - Republished in 2020

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Bryan Stevenson (born 1959)

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