Just Mercy : Powerful Motion Picture

Just Mercy is a 2019 movie based on a true story that took place in the late 80s and through the 90s in Alabama. Just Mercy stood out to me this week because it amplifies the black voices and experiences that are being shared throughout the world today and within the last few weeks during the black lives matter movement. I’ve had this movie recommended to me recently at protests and on Amazon Prime in their black history, hardship, and hope section available on their homepage. 

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Just Mercy shares the emotional, hopeful, and inspiring story of Bryan Stevenson, a Harvard civil rights law student graduate, fighting in defense of those wrongly convicted in Alabama and put onto death row. One of his first cases is that of Walter Mcmillian, a father of three and husband, is sentenced to die in 1987 for the murder of an 18-year-old-girl, despite a lack of evidence supporting this. Stevenson, originally from Delaware, quickly runs into racism and legal injustice again and again in Alabama. Starting with being required to be strip-searched before visiting clients on death row even though searches are not required nor usual for legal visits.

“If you look closely and honestly we might see that we all need justice. We all need mercy” 

    Bryan Stevenson

Micheal B Jordan plays Stevenson in Just Mercy and this performance won him a NAACP award for outstanding actor in a motion picture. Mcmillian is played by Jaime Foxx who also was awarded with a NAACP award for outstanding supporting actor in a motion picture. This film won a couple more awards for image and ensemble cast. All these awards are extremely deserving from my eyes. Foxx and Jordan’s performance was emotional and managed to bring tears to my eyes multiple times throughout the movie. I believe most who watched this would agree judging by the 83% it earned on rotten tomatoes and it’s $50.4 million box office earnings.

To Kill A Mockingbird is a story about a man named Atticus Finch who attempted to prove the innocence of a black man, Tom Robinson. Who had been wrongly accused of raping a white women in the 1930s. Monroeville is the small town that this story took place in. It is also coincidentally the same place the true story Just Mercy takes place. These two stories share a lot in common. Both stories of having to fight for an innocent black man against racists in the court of law. 

“I don't know what to tell them (her children) about staying out of trouble when you can be in your own house, minding your own business, surrounded by your own entire family, and they still gonna pin some murder on you” 

- Minnie, Walter Mcmillian’s wife

This film is important because it opens your eyes on the racial inequality we still face today. It shows you hard truths, but also leaves you with a burning hope to hold onto. It’s target audience is American adults and young adults looking to learn and listen to the truths this movie exposes. This movie does have certain stereotypes within it though none that I would have believed went too far. It portrays Alabama state representatives and sheriffs as racist and lazy. They also portray cops as aggressive and unreasonable at times. These were simply shown under a light in this film, but not necessarily blown up to an unrealistic portrayal. 

There are many strengths within this award winning film. It’s a very informative film that teaches you about the injustice built into our legal system especially regarding the death penalty. It shows how specifically the United States government criminal justice system holds a racial bias when it comes to sentencing innocent African American citizens.This film emphasizes that these individuals receive, but do not deserve the unequal treatment that our judicial system practices. This movies brings lights to these realities that we tended to ignore before this black lives movement begun a week or so back.

“When it’s your turn they won’t need no fingerprints, no evidence,”
said Walter Mcmillian,
“All that matters is I look like a man who could kill somebody.”

After watching this movie you’ll find yourself looking up the real history this movie portrays. I even managed to find a TedTalk that Bryan Stevenson delivered in 2013 titled “We Need to Talk About an Injustice.” It’s an informative watch that I’d recommend to family and friends. 

Just Mercy is a great film to watch if you’re interested in learning about the racial injustice our country. It’s a great place to start if you don’t know where to begin when it comes to learning the history of America and racial issues. It’s available for free on Amazon Prime.