‘The Burial’ (2023) Review – The Crowd-Pleaser Of The Year

Every year, each studio competes for the big blockbusters, the tear-jerkers, and the awards players, but the one type of film every studio really wants is the rousing crowd-pleaser. The films that bring about the most inspiring fist-pumping joy you can imagine. This year, that film comes from Amazon Studios and is the sophomore effort by Maggie Betts starring Academy Award winners Tommy Lee Jones and Jamie Foxx – The Burial.

Inspired by true events, The Burial tells the story of how a flashy personal injury lawyer helps a small-town funeral homeowner battle a multimillion-dollar corporation to save his family business. It is the age-old David vs. Goliath story that always seems to work. Written by Betts and Doug Wright from an article by Jonathan Harr, the film excels at the famous tropes while adding modern-day flourishes and subverting expectations. Also, if you ever need proof of how A-list actors can elevate a film, look no further than here. Jones and Foxx are a tremendous combo. For roles that could’ve easily been one-note and typical, the two Oscar winners keep surprising throughout the film and turn in roles that aren’t just about men changing, but men growing. 

When we meet Foxx’s Willie E. Gray, he’s a bull-jive talking showman more interested in the money and fame than the case. The immediate thought is that this is going to be another film of a hustler going straight, but very quickly, we see Gray’s high-lifestyle personality doesn’t come from swindling, but genuine hard work. Foxx’s Gray isn’t a two-bit hoodlum faking it until he makes it, he’s made it, and he means what he says. A role that could’ve easily fallen into parody is given heart and depth and is all the better for it. Jamie Foxx has already cemented himself as a top-level actor, but with this role, he may have cemented it further.

Not to be outdone is Tommy Lee Jones who plays the role he’s aged into gracefully. What looks as if it’s going to be another “curmudgeonly-old-racist-man-who-learns-tolerance-through-working-with-people-of-color” role also quickly dissipates as Jones leans far away from stereotypes and plays Jeremiah O’Keefe sincerely. Jeremiah (or “Jerry” as he’s affectionately called) is a man of great character and understanding, and that’s how Jones plays him – reserved, solemn, calmly aware of the world around him, and sensible enough to know it needs work. 

This film also has another standout performance. Jurnee Smollett plays tough-nosed, Harvard-educated, defense attorney Mame Downes. Smollett is a multi-faceted actress who has dipped into science fiction, horror, and comic book films, but she looks at ease and in command in this role. What works so well in this film is how each character is written. Even those who you might perceive as antagonists or downright villains in the case of Bill Camp’s Ray Loewen, each person is given a reasonable position for their actions. Downes has to defend the indefensible, that’s her job. Loewen is the CEO of a multimillion-dollar industry, he’s out to make as much as he can, even if that means in the most deplorable manner. Even Alan Ruck as Jerry’s friend and Attorney Mike Allred, who has some questionable morals and an unflattering familial connection, is given some grace throughout the film. Writing each character outside of what their downfall would typically be, and showing there’s more to people than what you can see, is a powerful message impressively delivered.

The film tries not to lay the racism on heavily, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing as there is one scene in the movie that, while it does exemplify the theme (and certainly the title) of the movie, is a bit on the nose. It could be something audiences dismiss as a necessary foray, but it does feel the most out of place of anything that happens in the movie. 

In the end, The Burial is a courtroom drama, which will always get the blood flowing because there is nothing more satisfying on film than justice. And nothing is even more satisfying than knowing it happened for real. Expect each talented actor to get you to that place where your blood is pumping, your fist is pounding, and your heart is flowing with the joy that comes from good, honest, justice. 

The Burial is currently playing in select theaters and is available to stream exclusively on Prime Video. 

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