Roman J. Israel, Esq.
There are a lot of interesting ideas here that ultimately don’t add up, but that doesn’t take away from Denzel Washington’s brilliant performance. If the blunt question is, “is Roman J. Israel, Esq. a good film?” - my answer, truthfully, is, no, due to its lack of cohesion. That being said, I enjoyed it and would recommend it with a few caveats. There are parts of it, particularly with its idealism and the misfit/outcast character that is Roman, that feel i ncredibly important and timely. “Important”, however, doesn’t always add up to broadly entertaining. Put another way, for those who desire flash and fire, you won’t find them here. The film is rich and heady with ideas about the role of law in society. Downtown L.A. is an interesting backdrop, only partially explored and exploited against its themes. The outstanding soundtrack and nods toward the social movements of the late 60’s and early 70’s against the modern landscape...