By Joshua Purz

The film Just Mercy was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and released in 2019. It depicts the injustice of parts of the US legal system and its racist tenor. The film tells the story of Bryan Stevenson who wants to fight for innocent prisoners that are sentenced to death. However, he not only has to prove their innocence but must fight the racist system that works against him and his clients. Therefore, the film presents not only a personal story but a nationwide issue.

Bryan trying to defend Walter in court. Copyright by Warner Bros.

Symbols in the film emphasize the injustice that some of the prisoners must face. The prisoners are detained by the whiteness around them. This starts at the white prison suit, over parts of the prison itself, up to the shaving cream on Herbert’s face which marks the beginning of his last minutes. The color symbolizes a prison itself. A system that seems unescapable for the ones trapped by it. This is also reflected in the films critique of race and class. In the film, all PoC characters share experiences of racism in form of police brutality, false prejudices, and many other discriminatory actions. Additionally, these characters have a hard time to protect themselves as they grew up in a lower class and are lacking the means for defense.

Throughout the film, the camera takes the perspective of Bryan and stays close to him. The film is determined to convey the suppression the characters have to go through to the audience by taking their perspective. During the trials the shift in power is illustrated through the characters positions. Black characters take a stance and are eventually given a position of power on both a narrative and symbolic level. The female characters have minor roles in the film. Eva is a flat character who is mostly shown supporting Bryan. However, she breaks gender roles by caring for her young children while following her passion and fighting for justice. Minnie McMillian, Walter’s wife, is a flat character as well. Additionally, she doesn’t necessarily break gender stereotypes. Yet, she is presented as a very loving and strong character by being the backbone of her family and fighting for her husband.

Destin Daniel Crayton presumably chose to tell this story to point out the injustices PoC must face in America. While the story is set in the past, it never feels obsolete and is therefore told in a timeless way. Similar to other legal dramas, the court room is part of the climax. However, in this film, the climax in the courtroom is less about the legal battle and rather about the reclamation of power by the black defendant. Generally, the film has a large focus on class and race. The narrative emphasizes the suppression of racial minorities in connection to their class by drawing the inescapable vicious circle that they are in.

Just Mercy. dir. Destin Daniel Cretton (2019); 136mins