Robin and I were in the throes of cabin fever when we received a call from our close friends, Arnie and Ellen, inviting us over to their place to watch a movie. Ellen and Arnie, legendary for their entertaining, have a 5-star backyard, with a huge TV, bar, fire pit, swimming pool, jacuzzi, and pickleball court! We each sat in love seats about 15 feet apart, having wine and dessert in the bar/fire pit area and watched “Just Mercy.” I had been planning to see this film at the theater, but COVID hit and the movie theaters were toast! It’s now available for rent on Amazon Prime. This true story is even more timely now after the beyond-horrific George Floyd tragedy than it was when it was first released. The film, directed and co-written by Destin Daniel Cretton, is based on the 2015 book “Just Mercy,” written by Bryan Stevenson. It takes place in Monroeville, Alabama, the home of Harper Lee (“To Kill a Mockingbird”).
It’s November 1986, and Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx) is at a church fish fry with dozens of witnesses – including a police officer – while, elsewhere and at the same time, dry-cleaning clerk Rhonda Morrison is murdered, having been shot numerous times. In June 1987, McMillian is arrested, possibly being chosen as a scapegoat by Sheriff Tate (Michael Harding) because he had an affair with a white woman. Walter soon winds up on death row, even before his trial. He is found guilty of first degree murder at his trial, based exclusively on “eye witness” testimony by a felon, Ralph Myers (Tim Blake Nelson). Stevenson, fresh from graduating Harvard Law, has a grant to help the prisoners on death row with their appeals. The film primarily focuses on Stevenson’s relationship with McMillian and his handling of Walter’s appeal. The movie is both interesting and emotionally-compelling. One gets a shocking sense of how horrible the racism was in Alabama in the 1980’s. As recent events have shown, our society is not quite as far away from that time and place as we may have thought.
Robin and I were in the throes of cabin fever when we received a call from our close friends, Arnie and Ellen, inviting us over to their place to watch a movie. Ellen and Arnie, legendary for their entertaining, have a 5-star backyard, with a huge TV, bar, fire pit, swimming pool, jacuzzi, and pickleball court! We each sat in love seats about 15 feet apart, having wine and dessert in the bar/fire pit area and watched "Just Mercy." I had been planning to see this film at the theater, but COVID hit and the movie theaters were toast! It's now available for rent on Amazon Prime. This true story is even more timely now after the beyond-horrific George Floyd tragedy than it was when it was first released. The film, directed and co-written by Destin Daniel Cretton, is based on the 2015 book "Just Mercy," written by Bryan Stevenson. It takes place in Monroeville, Alabama, the home of Harper Lee ("To Kill a Mockingbird"). It's November 1986, and Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx) is at a church fish fry with dozens of witnesses – including a police officer – while, elsewhere and at the same time, dry-cleaning clerk Rhonda Morrison is murdered, having been shot numerous times. In June 1987, McMillian is arrested, possibly being chosen as a scapegoat by Sheriff Tate (Michael Harding) because he had an affair with a white woman. Walter soon winds up on death row, even before his trial. He is found guilty of first degree murder at his trial, based exclusively on "eye witness" testimony by a felon, Ralph Myers (Tim Blake Nelson). Stevenson, fresh from graduating Harvard Law, has a grant to help the prisoners on death row with their appeals. The film primarily focuses on Stevenson's relationship with McMillian and his handling of Walter's appeal. The movie is both interesting and emotionally-compelling. One gets a shocking sense of how horrible the racism was in Alabama in the 1980's. As recent events have shown, our society is not quite as far away from that time and place as we may have thought.
Just Mercy: We Could Use A Little Now
Just Mercy: We Could Use A Little Now
2020-06-09
David
80
8
An Amazing True Story!
Very Timely and Compelling!
User Rating : No Ratings Yet !
8
