Inspired by true events, a lawyer helps a funeral home owner save his family business from a corporate behemoth, exposing a complex web of race, power, and injustice.
Directed by Maggie Betts, “The Burial” covers previously-trod territory but does so in a way that breathes life into a familiar genre. In this case, Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) attempts to alleviate his accumulated debts by selling a group of funeral homes he founded. In the negotiation process, O’Keefe reaches a tentative deal with Ray Loewen (Bill Camp), a wealthy Canadian funeral services magnate who owns facilities nationwide. When they agree on a price, Loewen drags his feet about signing the agreement and eventually reneges on the deal. As a result, O’Keefe decides to engage outside personal injury lawyer Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) instead of his longtime contract attorney Mike Allred (Alan Ruck) in an attempt to gain the upper hand and recover his losses.
While unhappy with the arrangement, Allred doesn’t have a choice because his client insists on putting Gary in charge. Loewen, on the other hand, hires Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollett) to make his defense. Downes is a no-nonsense defense attorney, and – consistent with her client’s wishes – refusing to settle in any way. Bringing up the rear guard are Amanda Warren as Gary’s wife, Gloria, and Pamela Reed as O’Keefe’s wife, Annette – both strongly supportive of their husbands’ efforts to achieve an appropriate jury award.
Gary is the son of sharecroppers and has made it good in the legal world, sporting his own private jet named “Wings of Justice.” O’Keefe, with his 13 children and 22 grandchildren, wants to leave some assets behind for his extended family. The two formidable legal teams of plaintiff and defense duel and spar in an engaging fashion – a bit of a variation on the David and Goliath scenario often typical of such stories because Gary the “Giant Killer” maintains a stable of considerable talent and resources with which to work.
Loewen is the personification of corporate greed, smugly telling Gary and O’Keefe that no judgment against him will be enough to do any harm to his financial situation. Camp literally seethes his response across the table, again demonstrating his extensive acting chops in supporting roles.
The core cast of Foxx, Jones, and Smollett anchor the production solidly by taking familiar material, delivering it suitably, and adding an appropriate sense of urgency to the proceedings. Though Harrison Ford was considered for the role of O’Keefe at one point, at 77 years old, Jones turns in a nice performance. For his part, Jamie Foxx provides a charismatic take on the real-life Willie Gary, who is equally compelling in real life, as evidenced by his videos available on YouTube.
“The Burial” is adapted from a New Yorker article published in 1999 by Jonathan Harr, and the narrative’s tone is realistic and timely. While touching on themes of racism, the references never feel heavy-handed or forced. For fans of courtroom dramas, the film may not serve up as many surprises as audiences might like, but neither will the motion picture disappoint either.
In Select Theaters and on Prime Video Friday, October 13th
