By Steve Crum

The Burial evolves into matters far deeper than the 6-feet under the surface implies. Its 126 minutes are jammed with multi-Oscar quality contenders from acting to direction to writing. A Best Picture is entirely possible. 

Getting to specifics, the fact-based The Burial takes place in 1995. The story opens with Willie E. Gary (Jamie Foxx) in front of a Baptist congregation, moving around the stage in flamboyant, “let me hear an amen,” Bible thumping manner. Church elders and the choir behind him as well as an ultra-responsive audience are totally enraptured at Gary’s high energy, animated presentation. 

So is this a film about a dynamic preacher? No, it’s all about the popular (and wealthy) attorney, Willie E. Gary, a lawyer specializing in civil cases involving Black clients. 

Segue to elderly Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones), who is grousing to his wife (Annette O’Keefe) about the near certainty that he is about to lose his long established funeral home in Biloxi, Mississippi to bankruptcy. In addition to his long time attorney Mike Allred (Alan Ruck), O’Keefe calls upon the aggressive Gary to co-handle his contractual lawsuit against a Canadian group, the Loewen Group. When Gary reluctantly agrees, the fireworks begin. The Burial becomes a fast-paced courtroom drama. 

Willie E. Gary, an attorney known for never having lost a case in two years, is at first played by Foxx like Johnny Cochran on steroids. “Litigation is war—a battle to the death!”—shouts Gary at one point. But as the trial proceeds, his empathy surfaces, focusing more on the inhumanity of his suffering client. By the same token, O’Keefe becomes more aggressive. 

Tommy Lee and Jamie are believable, wonderful allies as the camaraderie between their characters evolves. Also impressive is Alan Ruck, whose Alfred is forced to take a back seat when Gary assumes the head counsel role. Directed by Maggie Betts, who co-wrote the screenplay, The Burial showcases Jurnee Smollett as Mame Downes, the defense counsel. 

Specific mention must be made of this impressive, multi-layered screenplay (also co-written by Doug Wright). The Burial becomes much more than a mere courtroom drama. It is also a powerful re-evaluation of Black History.

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GRADE on an A-F Scale: A