If you're in the mood for a film that'll have you shouting at the TV one minute and reaching for the tissues the next, Just Mercy should be on your watch list. The legal drama, based on a true story, is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
"It's both rage-inducing and awe-inspiring; the courage conveyed by the protagonists is a balm on the sting of injustice," said the Chicago Reader of the film when it was released in 2020. The Atlantic also commended it, saying: "The film's power lies in the brutality of its true story, and yet that narrative stays within fairly conventional bounds precisely because of [the director's] commitment to telling it."
This isn't your typical courtroom drama. Based on lawyer Bryan Stevenson's memoir, it tells the true story of Walter McMillian, a Black man who was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death row in Alabama for a murder he didn't commit.
Sinners' star Michael B Jordan plays Stevenson, a fresh-faced Harvard graduate who set up the Equal Justice Initiative in 1989 and made it his mission to fight for McMillian's freedom. Jamie Foxx plays McMillian, with Brie Larson and Tim Blake Nelson rounding out the A-list cast.
The film follows the true story of the overturning of McMillian's death-row conviction, with the case built on dodgy testimony. Despite having an alibi and there being no physical evidence, Stevenson spent six years on death row before being released.
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Just Mercy delicately balances rage-inducing injustice with genuinely inspiring moments of hope. You'll be furious at the system, but you'll also be rooting for Stevenson's determination and McMillian's strength.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton, who also helms the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, was lauded for his artistic but realistic portrayal of racism in the American legal system. Though the film does stick to some familiar courtroom drama beats, the performances and the weight of the true story make it essential viewing.
Likewise, the cast was given ample credit for quiet but powerful performances.
The Telegraph wrote that Jordan has "steel and energy in his part", with Foxx giving "a beautifully modulated, unflashy and quietly moving performance, easily his best in at least a decade".
Just Mercy is now available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
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