Warner Brothers released the first trailer for Just Mercy, starring Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson. In the true story, Jordan plays Bryan Stevenson, a young attorney who begins a crusade to rescue the innocent from prison and death row.
The film is based on Bryan Stevenson’s bestselling book, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. Just Mercy, produced by Gil Netter (Life of Pi, The Shack, The Blind Side), Asher Goldstein and Michael B. Jordan, and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, will be in theaters this December.
In a courtroom-based story of justice and mercy, the film seems to touch on spiritual themes of redemption, grace and forgiveness. One character proposes that “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” Stevenson also declares, “We all need grace. We all need mercy.”
The official synopsis follows:
A powerful and thought-provoking true story, Just Mercy follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Larson). One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx). In 1987, Walter was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds—and the system—stacked against them.
Watch the trailer here!
DeWayne Hamby is a communications specialist and longtime journalist covering faith-based music, entertainment, books and the retail industry. He is the author of the book Gratitude Adjustment. Connect with him at dewaynehamby.com or on Twitter, @dewaynehamby.
