Inspired by true events, a lawyer helps a funeral home owner save his family business from a corporate behemoth, exposing a complex web of race, power, and injustice.
Chuck says:
David vs. Goliath stories never go out of style. We need them. We need to be reminded that, though the instances are rare, the underdog can prevail, that right makes might, that true justice can prevail even in a system that’s stacked against the common man. To be sure, the sports genre is where most of the stories play out, however the courtroom drama runs a close second where stories like this are concerned. Nothing like seeing some corporate bigwigs taken to task.
Maggie Betts’ “The Burial” is one of the better examples of this type of story, a fact-based recounting of a hardworking businessman who finds himself in dire straits, makes a deal with the devil and ultimately finds his entire life’s work in jeopardy. Nothing new here, but with Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones on board to carry the narrative load, this feature proves well-worth watching.
A former two-term mayor of Biloxi, Mississippi and outspoken activist, Jeremiah O’Keefe (Jones) has worked hard to grow his family business. He owns eight funeral homes and is intent on leaving a thriving enterprise for his children to run, as his father did for him. However, a bad investment here and a questionable business decision there, and suddenly O’Keefe finds himself in danger of losing it all. At the suggestion of his lawyer Mike Allred (Alan Ruck), he contacts the Loewen Group, a vast enterprise that owns over 1100 funeral homes. Its CEO, Ray Loewen (Bill Camp), makes no bones about the mercenary approach his business takes in turning a profit and while this doesn’t sit well with O’Keefe, he reluctantly agrees to sell three of his properties to him.
Of course, not everything is on the up-and-up and before you know it, O’Keefe is forced to file a breach of contract suit. However, a young lawyer he’s been consulting, Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie), thinks they should take a different approach. He wants to bring personal injury attorney Willie Gary (Foxx) on board. Flashy, brash and having appeared on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” he’s known for getting the largest settlements possible for his clients. Though the litigator is reluctant to get on board, as his firm does not specialize in contract law, he ultimately sees its potential and takes it on.
Foxx and Jones’ screen personae are well established, and films of this sort depend on leaning into and exploiting these qualities. Betts and her co-writer Doug Wright provide spotlight moments for both, and the film is better for it. Foxx takes Gary’s flamboyant approach and runs with it, delivering three electrifying moments, one in church and two in the courtroom, that capture the man’s effective grandstanding approach. He proves without question that this is the guy you want on your side and it’s great fun watching the actor in his element. Meanwhile, Jones’ quiet strength and potential volatility runs throughout, providing O’Keefe with a stoicism that is a nice counterpoint to his co-star’s outsized turn.
And while we know how the film will turn out, the friendship that develops between Gary and O’Keefe is what elevates it above others of its ilk. Unlikely bedfellows, the bond these two develop due to their similar backgrounds and united sense of purpose proves to be the most satisfying aspect of the film. Foxx and Jones excel in their scenes together, the actors effectively subtle in portraying the men’s initial weariness and ultimate camaraderie. The courtroom scenes are fun and cathartic, but it’s the model of friendship “The Burial” contains that makes it worthwhile.
3 Stars
