Roman J. Israel, Esq is a fantastic showcase for Washington who really shines here, making Israel noble, flawed and unknowable. Yet, taken as a whole, it isn't quite worthy of the character or his performance.
A worthy but wordy look at the inequities of the US legal system, saved by a handful of terrific scenes and a tour-de-force turn from Washington.
An interesting experiment but not a completely successful one.
The film can’t live up to the complexity of its own leading character. It ends in a very unsatisfactory way but that doesn’t take away from the mercurial originality of Washington’s performance.
Washington shines as an attorney facing a dark night of the soul in a promising drama that sinks into sentimental mushiness.
The film works best when it is establishing Israel’s character but it starts to flounder with a murder case that grows increasingly implausible.
Denzel Washington’s Oscar-nominated performance gives this messy legal drama some zing.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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