At a first look, Just Mercy seems like a generic movie with social commentary that wants to be an awards contender. Though Destin Daniel Creton, the writer/director behind the film, was also the mind behind Short Term 12, a film I quite enjoyed, there appears to be minimal hype around the film. However, with Michael B. Jordan, Brie Larson, and Jamie Foxx, there is something here to enjoy. Indeed, this is the definition of a crowd-pleasing movie. It has some moments that definitely elicit laughs. There are scenes, one, in particular, involving the banging of pots, that are really powerful and sad. Above all, however, there is a clear, yet familiar, message about the power of racism in the American south.
The performances here are done well, but aren’t anything special. In particular, Jamie Foxx does a fantastic job playing Walter McMillian, an innocent man put on death row who is defended by Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan). These two men really are the star performers of the movie; they give a realistic and heartfelt aspect to the story. Brie Larson does an adequate job, as does everyone in the rest of the cast.
However, beyond this, the film has one main issue that keeps it from being a great movie: being conventional. Many of the characters feel like copycats of archetypes seen in many other movies, such as the stranger that is overtly racist to those helping the African-American characters. There is one character in particular that follows the “bad person who is redeemed” character arc that is seen all too often. Most problematic of all, this creates an environment populated by simple characters that feel either good or bad. There is no room to explore moral ambiguity.
As for the work behind the camera, this all feels way too conventional. Just Mercy could have actually been a strong contender for awards had the direction had more style. All the shots feel every plain; there’s no interesting lighting, no shots that invent beyond steady hand-held shots, no sound design that felt unique. This all can be summed up by saying that this film lacked a voice. While all this keeps the film from standing out, it should not be mistaken for saying it is bad. Just Mercy is a crowd-pleaser that anyone can watch with their family. Its message is important, but it all just feels like something we have seen before.
3.5/5 STARS