Legal dramas and buddy pics don’t often overlap, but with Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones on board, The Burial attempts just that to surprisingly good results. The story of Jeramiah O’Keefe (Jones) and his day in court takes on much higher stakes with the involvement of the boisterous and flamboyant Willie Gary (Foxx). The set up to this tale at first seems lackluster for a star-studded feature clocking in at over two hours in length. O’Keefe attempts to sell some of the funeral homes he owns to a big corporation, but instead of a tidy transaction, there’s a … contract dispute! Convincing personal-injury attorney Gary to join the lawsuit is a bit of a struggle, but join he does, trampling the norms of 1990s Mississippi as he goes, his private jet and army of Black lawyers leave many a white folk aghast.
It’s the relationship between the two men that sells the story. Gary’s the son of sharecroppers who has made it and then some, while O’Keefe is a mild-mannered grandpa who just wants to leave something to his family. Foxx gets to flex all the charisma and humor that has made his career, while Jones shows he’s still got something left in his cantankerous tank. The issue of race doesn’t come between the two characters, but it certainly comes up throughout the film. Issues of history, poverty and discrimination are front and center throughout the trial. The fact that this story takes place during the O.J. Simpson proceedings is apropos.
The legal crux of the case brings about the slowest, most banal part of the movie. Since we’re dealing with actual events, it’s probably accurate but more than a little cloying. Fortunately, closing arguments and all that follows brings the audience quickly back to good old-fashioned courtroom drama with opposing counsel played by Jurnee Smollett giving Gary a very good run for his money. Honestly, this might have been just another streaming title in Prime’s lineup, but Foxx and Jones make it more than that. Gary has all the markings of a walking, talking caricature, but there’s a humanity to Foxx’s portrayal of him that pushes The Burial into richer territory. Director Maggie Betts never lets herself be saddled by historical events in crafting a narrative filled with empathy, humor and life.
The Burial streams on Amazon starting Oct. 13.
This article appears in October 6 • 2023.