EJI is grateful for the support of Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Brie Larson, and the entire cast of Just Mercy.
Just Mercy presents the unforgettable story of Walter McMillian, a man who was convicted and sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. Based on Bryan Stevenson’s bestselling memoir, the film tells the true story of EJI, the people we represent, and the importance of confronting injustice.
The movie gives a voice to people who are typically not heard in our society. In addition to Mr. McMillian, the movie portrays the humanity of people like Herbert Richardson, a Vietnam veteran on Alabama’s death row who was executed in 1989, and demonstrates that people who are guilty of crimes are more than the worst thing they have ever done and don’t deserve to be executed.
Just Mercy is a powerful film with a wealth of standout performances. The New York Times has called it “searing and soaring,” the film is an AFI Awards official selection, and it is one of the African American Film Critics Association’s top three films of 2019.
The film stars Michael B. Jordan as Bryan Stevenson, and Brie Larson who plays EJI staff member Eva Ansley. Jamie Foxx, who stars as Walter McMillian, has been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award and was named Best Supporting Actor by the African American Film Critics Association for his “transfixing” performance as Walter McMillian.
We are grateful to director Destin Daniel Cretton and the entire cast and crew for making Just Mercy a “film to respect, to be moved by, and one that may even inspire some viewers to look closer at the death penalty issue,” as critic Christopher Schobert observed.
The film is also an invaluable tool for creating a more just system. “Just Mercy succeeds in reminding us that hopelessness is a form of injustice that cannot be tolerated,” reviewer Courtney Small wrote. “Packing an emotional punch, the film inspires one to get off the sidelines and join the fight for positive change.”
Learn more about Just Mercy