The Burial

Stellar courtroom dramas were commonplace in the 1990s: Reversal of Fortune, A Few Good Men, Philadelphia, The Firm, Sleepers, and Primal Fear, among others. Had The Burial come out back then, it probably would have seemed unexceptional by comparison. However, these days, star-driven, old-fashioned movies of this sort are less plentiful. The Burial felt like a revelation when it was quietly released to Amazon Prime on October 13.

This account is inspired by actual events. Director Maggie Betts (Novitiate) and Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright (the play I Am My Own Wife) adapt Jonathan Harr’s 1999 New Yorker article. A small-town funeral home owner in Mississippi named Jeremiah “Jerry” O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) faces financial difficulties. As a result, he’s forced to sell three of his eight parlors. Jerry makes a handshake agreement with Canadian billionaire Ray Loewen (Bill Camp), owner of Loewen Funeral Group, one of North America’s largest operators of funeral homes and cemeteries.

The months pass. The Loewen Group continues to stall. Ray never follows through on their verbal contract. Jerry’s young lawyer, Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie), suggests that Loewen is intentionally delaying running O’Keefe into bankruptcy so he can snatch up his entire business. Frustrated, Jerry hires a flashy lawyer named Willie E. Gary (Jamie Foxx) to sue Ray Loewen in a breach of contract suit.

A rousing tale of contrasting personalities trying to work together to the same end is a saga I can endorse. Willie E. Gary is flamboyant and loud. Meanwhile, Jerry is soft-spoken and introverted. He’s an honest man that we cheer on to prevail. This unlikely pair will bond while fighting corporate corruption and racial injustice.

Willie E. Gary is unfamiliar with contract law, but he’s hired because he will likely appeal more to the prospective jurors who will decide the case. Ray, the defendant, learns of this, and then he also employs a team formed by Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollett), who will also provide the same advantage. Watching Willie and Mame go head-to-head is a spectacle that elicits excitement and laughs.

I enjoy courtroom dramas, and this one is highly satisfying. It leans more on the comedic side: “Objection, your honor, on the simple fact that she’s just angry!” Willie E. Gary protests at one point. Jerry and Willie bonding over the 1990 hit “Feels Good” by Tony! Toni! Toné! is cute and cloying in equal measure. Don’t anticipate a deep exploration of legal principles. Do expect an entertaining film.

This legal thriller is exceptionally well-acted. Even at 77 years old, Tommy Lee Jones is still a solid performer. He dials down the theatrics to portray an insecure but sincere everyman. Jaime Fox is even more notable as this charismatic firebrand of an attorney. I enjoyed his showboating performance. I can only assume his depction is more exaggerated and ridiculous than the real-life person he depicts. I’ll accept the sensational details. This is a movie, after all; he adds significantly to the overall story. I found this true story compelling.

10-19-23