Denzel Washington is a sight to see as the titled character in Roman J. Israel, Esq. He’s astounding, and while that may not surprise anyone, at this stage of his career, he could be perfectly complacent and we would happily accept that. But, that’s not how Denzel rolls. There’s still no playing it safe for this man after being in the movies for over three decades.
The two-time Oscar winner plays an attorney that works his magic behind closed doors, letting his law partner do all of the public appearances. Socially awkward and not afraid to call out others’ bullshit, Roman keeps his headset on and buried in paperwork. It keeps him from opening his mouth and getting in to trouble. However, after an unexpected death shuts his office down, the gig is up and he’s left to fend for himself.
This crisis brings in George Pearce (Colin Farrell), a slick, successful legal shark, who instantly takes notice of Roman and his gift of memorization. And while George serves as some much needed guidance, his eyes are so opened by Roman and his life’s work that he manages to fit inside a brown leather briefcase. Roman also finds Maya (Carmen Ejogo) who works for a nonprofit organization and shares the same passion as him for equality. She represents a new generation of speaking up and being heard, and that speaks to Roman’s roots.
We immediately know from the start that Roman is too smart for his own good. He’s not immune to any wrongdoing either, and one unethical decision jeopardizes everything he ever stood for and fought against. Working for George provides Roman a new lease on life, upgrading from what he wears to where he lives. He’s a brand new man, or so it seems. It’s all short-lived once he’s reminded of his immoral mistake. And with that, there’s no better time for him to take a good long look in the mirror to find out if Roman J. Israel, Esq. is who he says he is.
To say Roman J. Israel, Esq. lives or dies by Washington is a huge understatement. He is the film. This brilliant, eccentric role is unlike anything we’ve seen from him before and it’s an extraordinary feat. Although, the pace Washington sets can never be matched by writer/director Dan Gilroy’s dampened narrative. His first feature, Nightcrawler, tossed us in to the dark, explosive world of how we get the news and stars a sensational Jake Gyllenhaal as a mutinous crime scene cameraman. This time around, Gilroy has gone soft. The intrigue is inconsistent with no attempts of real risk-taking in his storytelling.
What’s a legal thriller without the thrills?
Washington is as reliable as you can possibly get, and his strength to carry this character study is challenged. Roman J. Israel, Esq. has hopes and dreams, but the reality of it is its star is the sole reason it has a fighting chance to be remembered at all.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association and the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
Subscribe to the SoBros Network Patreon here – $5/month gets you instant access to an exhaustive content library of articles, podcasts, and videos created exclusively for our subscribers!
