roman j. israel, esq.

Director: dan gilroy

Actor: denzel washington,colin farrell,carmen ejogo,lynda gravatt

Data Published: Wed Nov 22 2017

Genres: Crime,Drama,Thriller

Key Words: lawyer,court,murder,los angeles california,courtroom

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6000478/

WIKI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_J._Israel,_Esq.

Description: Roman J. Israel, Esq. is a movie starring Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, and Carmen Ejogo. Roman J. Israel, Esq., a driven, idealistic defense attorney, finds himself in a tumultuous series of events that lead to a crisis and the...

Plot: Roman J. Israel (Denzel Washington) is a lawyer and activist working for a small law firm in Los Angeles. In his two-partner office, Israel is responsible for preparing memos and briefs while William Jackson, the firm's owner and a well-respected professor, focuses on the courtroom appearances that Israel struggles with. Israel has spent years developing a brief that he believes will change the justice system, in the meantime sacrificing a family and a normal life to fight for justice. While Israel is short on interpersonal skills, he is gifted with a phenomenal memory as well as strong personal convictions on the meaning of justice. Jackson suffers a heart attack and falls into a coma, forcing Israel to make several courtroom appearances in his stead which go poorly. Jackson's niece reveals to Israel that the firm is broke and that Jackson's succession plan leaves George Pierce (Colin Farrell) in charge. Pierce plans to shut the firm down but offers Israel a job at his own much larger firm. Israel rejects this offer out of hand believing that Pierce is simply a greedy, self-obsessed lawyer. While looking for a new job, Israel meets Maya (Carmen Ejogo) during a job interview at a local activist network. The job interview does not go well, but Maya offers him the opportunity to speak at an upcoming meeting she is organizing. After failing to find employment elsewhere, Israel reluctantly takes a job with Pierce. Israel is a poor fit at the big firm, clashing with the number two partner Jesse Salinas after Israel mockingly laughs at a disparaging joke Salinas makes about battered women. After attempting to interest Pierce in the legal brief he has been preparing to attempt changing the legal system itself, Israel is disappointed when he is instead assigned by Pierce to several clients including Ellerbee, a young man arrested for murder. Ellerbee maintains he did not do it but is willing to testify against the shooter, wanted fugitive Carter Johnson. Israel goes behind Salinas' back to attempt to negotiate a plea deal for Ellerbee with the district attorney but insults her by insinuating her incompetence. No bargain is struck and Ellerbee is murdered before his case goes to trial. Israel's mishandling of Ellerbee's case leads to trouble for the firm and causes Pierce to berate him for his insubordination. That evening Israel is mugged and beaten by a homeless man. He becomes downcast and starts adopting a new, cynical attitude. Israel contacts relatives of the murdered store clerk for a $100,000 reward for Johnson's location. Spending the money lavishly, Israel indulges in luxuries he had previously eschewed but still finds himself feeling numb. Jackson dies after his extended coma, but Israel is unmoved and refuses to speak at his memorial service, believing that his mentor was truly flawed in thinking the world could be a just place. Pierce, inspired after hearing positive testimonials from Israel's other clients about his personal touch and honest approach, resolves to reform his firm including a new focus on pro-bono cases. While he is now celebrated at work, Israel's new materialistic outlook prevents him from enjoying this new direction. Maya later calls Israel to ask him out on a date, despite his failed speech. On the date, Maya sincerely shares some of her struggles with idealism and reality only for Israel to crudely dismiss them as irrelevant and attempt to flaunt his wealth in front of her. Pierce offers to work with Israel on the legal brief for plea reform he has been preparing, but Israel is unethusiastic. Pierce calls Israel to meet a new client with him who is in custody only for Israel to learn that the client is Johnson himself. After Pierce departs, Johnson accuses Israel of turning him in for the reward, divulging privileged communications for personal gain. Having accepted that he will spend the rest of his life in prison, Johnson's only goal is to torment Israel and see that he also ends up behind bars. Confronted by his crime, Israel suffers a breakdown and renounces his greedy, self-centered worldview. After attempting to flee town, Israel reverses course after realizing that he cannot escape his own hypocrisy. Israel reconciles with Maya and Pierce and tries to motivate them to pursue their inner sense of justice. He reveals that he intends to turn himself in to the police for his crime. While walking to the police precinct to surrender himself, Israel is shot and killed by one of Johnson's henchmen. In the aftermath of Israel's death, Maya is seen to be renewed in her activism efforts, while Pierce files Israel’s massive brief in Federal Court intending to reform plea bargaining after enlisting the help of his firm's employees for the benefit of the larger community.