The Burial: Movie Review

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones, Bill Camp, Alan Ruck, Mamoudou Athie
Director: Maggie Betts

There's something inherently crowd-pleasing in Betts' 90s throwback courtroom drama The Burial.

In a time when the cinematic world was awash in the pulpy twisty thrillers from the likes of John Grisham, Betts' drama manages to tap into the same kind of vein as the likes of The Firm and The Lincoln  Lawyer with this David and Goliath story.

The Burial, based on true events from the mid 90s, is the story of Tommy Lee Jones' Jeremiah O'Keefe, a financially desperate funeral home owner who makes a deal with Bill Camp's corporation only to find it not honoured a few months later. 

Taking it to court, O'Keefe hires flashy personal injury lawyer Willie E. Gary (an energetic and vibrant Foxx) much to the chagrin of his own team, given it's a contract law dispute and not in Gary's realm of experience.

There's nothing truly original in The Burial, especially if you're a connoisseur of the aforementioned 90s courtroom thrillers. In fact, it even follows the formula of a third act sudden discovery in the face of overwhelming odds cliche down to a tee.

But what Betts manages to do with The Burial is turn the story into the kind of crowd-pleasing familiar fare that shines because of its actors, not so much its story. From the tacit Lee Jones to the flashy brash Foxx, this is a drama that knows exactly what it wants to do and does it with veritable aplomb.

In apeing Johnny Cochran, Foxx makes his sharp-suited out-of-his-depth lawyer rise from the screen and appear larger than life, but never larger than the film itself. It's an important distinction that shows Betts has a solid grasp on what can make this work, as well as what's best avoided.

It helps that the odd couple story builds softly and carefully over time as the client and lawyer find a common bond. But it's also helped by some very able supporting work done by the likes of Elemental's Athie and Succession's Ruck, who shine in lesser but no-less valuable parts.

Ultimately, in uncovering a social crime, The Burial's end feels somewhat anti-climactic and revels in its obvious conclusion that may prove a disappointment to some. But large swathes of The Burial's genial approach and general warmth make this throwback film feel ultimately more appealing that you'd expect and much more of an enticing dramatic prospect that's worth streaming.

The Burial begins streaming on Prime Video from Friday October 13.