Overview
A gripping tale of justice and resilience in the face of systemic racism.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- earnest
- urgent
- somber
- thoughtful movie night
- social justice film night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the true-life injustice compellingly dramatized through solid performances, steady direction, and urgency that overcomes its earnest advocacy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Bryan Stevenson fights to prevent Walter McMillian and other condemned prisoners from being executed despite serious evidence of wrongful conviction.
The case is obstructed by overt racism, political maneuvering, and a justice system stacked against Black defendants in Alabama.
The film presents Stevenson's legal work and pursuit of justice with direct emotional conviction and urgency.
Alongside Walter McMillian's case, Bryan becomes involved with other wrongly condemned people, including Anthony Ray Hinton and Herbert Richardson.
Films like Just Mercy, and why
Marshall
shared true-story legal drama, racial injustice, moral urgency, and determined advocacy
A Time to Kill
shared courtroom drama, wrongful accusation, racism depicted, and principled legal protagonists
The Hurricane
shared historical drama, institutional racism, unjust imprisonment, and emotional advocacy
Selma
shared biographical drama, civil rights themes, and earnest activism against entrenched power
Movie Details
- Director
- Destin Daniel Cretton
- Release Date
- 2019-12-25
- Runtime
- 137 min
- Rating
- 7.8 / 10 (2553)
Cast
- Michael B. Jordan
- Brie Larson
- Jamie Foxx
- O'Shea Jackson Jr.
- Rafe Spall
- Rob Morgan
- Tim Blake Nelson
- Rhoda Griffis
- J. Alphonse Nicholson
- Karan Kendrick
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Just Mercy about?
- A young Alabama lawyer confronts a racist legal system while fighting to save a wrongly condemned man from execution.
- What is Just Mercy like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Just Mercy as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Just Mercy violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Just Mercy as mild.
- What did critics think of Just Mercy?
- Critics broadly found the true-life injustice compellingly dramatized through solid performances, steady direction, and urgency that overcomes its earnest advocacy.
- Which films are like Just Mercy?
- Films with a similar feel include Marshall, A Time to Kill, The Hurricane, and Selma.
- How long is Just Mercy?
- Just Mercy runs 137 minutes.
- Where can I watch Just Mercy?
- In United States, Just Mercy is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex.
