The Burial Movie Review *Now streaming on Prime Video

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I’ve been binge-watching “Suits” lately, so I know my courtroom dramas. The traditional explanation of the law you get from “Suits” was what I expected to see with “The Burial.” But it was so much more. It’s uncommon to get such a passionate film from an editorial. It had heart, integrity, grit and character. A lot of character.

It’s based on the true story of lawyer Willie E. Gary and his client Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe’s lawsuit against the Loewen funeral company from a 1995 article written by Jonathan Harr, who was writing for the New Yorker at the time. The article was also named “The Burial.”

We start with O’Keefe (Jones) getting advice from his longtime lawyer, Mike Allred (Allen Ruck), about what to do with his failing business that has been in his family for ages. Allred suggests he sell some of the company to a Canadian businessman named Ray Loewen, played by Bill Camp. Knowing Allred isn’t going to get the job done, a family friend named Hal (Mamoudou Athie) brings up hiring Willie E. Gary (Foxx). Allred needs to be more challenging for the coming fight and he doesn’t have it in him.

In this film, Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones are perfect together as client and lawyer. O’Keefe barely shows emotion, and his new lawyer, Willie Gary (Foxx), is more lively and spirited than any fitness trainer you’ve ever seen. Gary is good at his job, which you can tell by the gold and diamonds he covers himself with, his Bentley and his own plane. He doesn’t lose.

Willie E. Gary, an unconventional personal injury lawyer with an impressive track record, doesn’t first see what’s in it for him to take on this case, but he instantly likes financially troubled funeral home and cemetery owner Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe. So, he helps him sue the large Loewen Group, over this contractual dispute. The company’s president is very interested in O’Keefe’s business because, in the United States alone, there are fifty-one million people over the age of sixty-five. To him, he sees a lot of future clients and says so.

As the story progresses, Gary and O’Keefe begin to see where one helps the other. Gary took cases on for the money. O’Keefe explains to Gary that he doesn’t care for the money he could get from suing. He wants to end big corporations walking in, lying about helping, but then hurting the little guy. This movie is an educator for what we’re seeing going on in the United States of America. Deep down, there’s so much more than what you see on the surface. After getting into the courtroom section of the penetrating narrative, which is very good, there’s a scene that will shake you to your core. It’s what burial in the title really means… and is shocking.

Jamie Foxx is intense. This is the best role he has been in. If you’re a fan, take advantage of this. It’s not all drama. There are a few moments where you’ll chuckle, but no matter what kind of movie you’re in the mood for, see this one. Jurnee Smollett as the defense attorney, is fantastic! The film itself has empathy and is astonishingly engrossing. I believe it’s imperative for us all to watch.