I saw "Just Mercy" a few days ago at the Philadelphia Film Festival and was blown away by the film....and I consider it to be one of the best movies I've seen in recent years. I could easily see the picture receiving several Oscar nominations---especially for acting. Imagine my suprise when I looked on IMDB and saw a score of 5.6 and some negative reviews! I am not exactly sure what this is all about and perhaps it's because there are some angry pro-capital punishment folks or some who simply hate a film with a mostly black cast. All I know is that the film is a quality production and kept my interest throughout.
The story is based on the work of Bryan Stevenson, a Harvard graduate who chose to move to Alabama and work for a small salary to help examine the convictions of men on death row...men who in some cases were not guilty at all. How could anyone NOT applaud this sort of thing?!
Overall, a brilliantly written film that made me sad and angry....and I love when a film effects me that way. The acting was top-notch, the story magnificent and the writing amazing. Just ignore all the negativity and see this one....you'll be happy you did. As for me, I'd consider this perhaps the best American film of the decade...it's THAT good.