The Burial Movie Review: A compelling courtroom drama powered by top performances

In any courtroom drama worth its salt, we know that the crowning moment of the narrative will be that last monologue from the lawyer. It is bound to be rousing, tempestuous, and more often than not, ends with an impassioned plea to do the right thing. In Prime Video’s latest, The Burial, featuring a stoic Tommy Lee Jones, and a funny and feisty Jamie Foxx, everything is set for the final monologue. But the scene cuts to shots of all the players of this case sitting in the waiting room for the jury to pronounce its judgment in a not-so-flashy ‘breach of contract’ case. Such subversions are the highlights of this compelling courtroom drama that explores important themes, hits all the right notes, and delivers a repetitive but convincing retelling of a true story set in 90s America. 

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones, Jurnee Smollet, Mamoudou Athie

Director: Maggie Betts

Streaming on: Prime Video

Tommy Lee Jones’ Jeremiah O’Keefe is a patriarch who wants to leave a lasting legacy for his children through his family business of running funeral homes. He is muscled out of the space by a corporate honcho Ray Loewen, who wants to establish a monopoly in this field, which, in turn, affects the average American, and swindles them off millions of dollars. Not wanting to let people like Ray exploit small-time businessmen and unsuspecting individuals who just want to give their loved ones a decent send-off, O’Keefe files a case against Loewen LLC. Well, who appears for O’Keefe? The swashbuckling William Gary who has never lost a case in 12 years. 

Foxx plays to the gallery with his showmanship. His battle with a steadfast Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollet) makes for an engaging narrative that deals with systemic racism, and what it is to be a black lawyer in the South. Although the film is about O’Keefe fighting it out against Loewen, director Maggie Betts ensures the focus is firmly on the legacy of the Black community, and the trials they go through to uphold it, or even simply tell that story. Through that perspective, we understand why the flashiness of Gary’s lifestyle is important. We understand why the film opens with him talking about the importance of a Black church. 

The Burial is a wonderful exploration of the importance of introspection, and why one must always look at the bigger picture. When Gary and his group of lawyers realise that one of the White lawyers in the team is the grandson of a Ku Klux Klan member, they revolt. However, Gary is the only one who stays back because the bigger picture is the winning of this case. Similarly, we see O’Keefe’s young associate Hal (a terrific Mamoudou Athie) remain defiant when needed but stay close to the case to ensure that the big picture is in sight. 

That is why when the final credits roll with the age-old technique of juxtaposing real-life photos, we shrug past the sense of familiarity. Some stories need to be told… again and again. Just to remind us that the world we think we left behind isn’t really that far behind.