• Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)

    Roman J. Israel is an idealistic defense attorney whose life gets upended when his boss and mentor -- the legendary civil rights icon William Henry Jackson -- dies unexpectedly. He's then recruited to join a law firm led by George Pierce, an ambitious lawyer who was one of Jackson's former students. Israel's legacy of activism soon gets put to the test when he takes on the case of Langston Bailey, a young man accused of murdering a convenience store clerk.

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Roman J. Israel, Esq.
58
metacriticBased on 41 Critics
63
Based on 61 Users

Release Date: November 17th, 2017

PG-13 |1 hr 57 min

Plot Summary

Roman J. Israel is an idealistic defense attorney whose life gets upended when his boss and mentor -- the legendary civil rights icon William Henry Jackson -- dies unexpectedly. He's then recruited to join a law firm led by George Pierce, an ambitious lawyer who was one of Jackson's former students. Israel's legacy of activism soon gets put to the test when he takes on the case of Langston Bailey, a young man accused of murdering a convenience store clerk.

Cast: Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo, Lynda Gravatt, Amanda Warren, Hugo Armstrong, Sam Gilroy, Tony Plana

Director: Dan Gilroy

Genres: Thriller , Crime drama

Production Co: Escape Artists, LStar Capital, Cross Creek Pictures

Distributors: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Keywords: Underdog , Rise , Deception , Tense , New York City , Fall , Mystery , Gripping

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Ratings & Reviews

  • 50
    Joe MorgensternWall Street Journal

    Mr. Gilroy’s new film doesn’t try for lean. When its lawyer hero isn’t citing legal precedent, he uses spectacularly florid language that reflects his unusual mental state. But there’s a disconnect between what we see and hear and what we’re meant to feel. show more

  • 60
    Leslie FelperinThe Hollywood Reporter

    Unfortunately, something at the center just doesn’t hold, and it flies apart over the course of 133 minutes into confusing shards of plot, legalese-heavy monologues and, perhaps most surprising of all given Gilroy’s bona fides, a touch of soggy sentimentality in the home stretch. show more

  • 60
    Tim GriersonScreen International

    Denzel Washington gives a terrifically off-kilter performance in Roman J. Israel, Esq., a fascinating and flawed character study that frustratingly can’t meld all its ambitions into a coherent and satisfying whole. show more

See all critic reviews on metacritic.com

Awards

Nominated Actor in a Leading Role
Oscars Academy Awards (2017)
Nominated Best Performance By an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Golden Globes (2018)
Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Screen Actors Guild Awards (2018)