The Burial – Hitting All The Right Yet Familiar Notes

Premiering to acclaim from audiences and critics alike at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, The Burial is the kind of film that audiences don’t get to see on the big screen anymore as the mid-budget drama has disappeared in favor of more mainstream and marketable fare. Looking for a new home, most of these films have found one in streaming with this one finding a home on Prime Video. It’s a shame that it has come to this point but now, the only thing that matters is whether or not they can find audiences. That being said, the film has all the makings of a certified crowd-pleaser. As it hits all the usual high points one would expect while not bringing anything new to the table overall, though for what it lacks in originality, it certainly makes up for in execution. This courtroom drama is inspired by the true story (shared in a 1999 New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr) of a 1995 lawsuit made by a Mississippi small business owner against a funeral home and cemetery conglomerate looking to force he and his local funeral business into bankruptcy. Leading the way is a pair of spectacular performances from Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones.

The Burial tells the story of a mild-mannered, local Mississippi funeral homeowner named Jeremiah O’Keefe (Jones) whose family business was put in jeopardy by a deal with Canadian funeral magnate Ray Loewen (Bill Camp) that failed to go through. In what appeared to be ulterior motives on behalf of the latter, O’Keefe’s business hinged on the deal. As a result, he turned to smooth-talking, uber-charismatic Florida personal injury lawyer Willie E. Gary (Foxx) to help save his business. Two people who couldn’t be further apart from one another, the obvious contrast between both men and their worlds made for some funny and trying moments but however different they may have seemed on paper, they actually had quite a lot in common. Watching their dynamic grow and evolve over the course of the film, as they found that common ground, was easily the best part, even if it was on the predictable side. And that’s before the eventual trial began.

Building a lucrative business for himself and his wife Gloria (Amanda Warren), with that success came a bombastic confidence that made Gary a show with an impressive win record. Looking at the potential payday, he took that confidence to this new trail, despite a lack of experience with contract law. Taking on Mame Downes (Smollett), a fierce and accomplished lawyer with a quiet confidence to her, Gary was quickly humbled as the payday became secondary to the genuine connection he had developed with O’Keefe. He cared about the man so much that he did not want to let him down. Though at the end of the day, they still faced an uphill battle. A rollercoaster in and of itself, O’Keefe’s character was put into question as each side attacked the other. Downes could try to take him down but his character as a war veteran, ally, family man, and pillar of his community was without reproach. Gary and co. needed a miracle to win and that’s what made turning the tables on Loewen that much more satisfying to watch. Perhaps leaning a little too much into the racial component, his near-comical greed proved to be his ultimate downfall.

Meanwhile, the score did a decent job at setting the tone. Its only flaw is how it comes on too strong at times during tense courtroom scenes. Shot in a straightforward way, it shows some flair through tightly edited courtroom sequences to help flesh out the contrast between Gary and Downes and their styles. Another area where the film falters is the lack of the latter in scenes outside of the courtroom to help flesh out her character because Smollett shines in her limited screen time, especially her scenes with Foxx’s Gary outside the courtroom. However, the best part of The Burial is the dynamic of Foxx and Jones as Gary and O’Keefe. Operating from opposite ends of the spectrum, each are sensational coming from those ends to a nice middle ground by the end. Foxx’s natural charm and charisma work perfectly here but he also has the range to pull off the softer side of Gary. Jones also shows the same kind of growth while holding his own against the more colorful personality of Foxx. His innate likeability in playing O’Keefe straight held it all together.

At the end of the day, The Burial is a rousing crowd-pleaser courtroom drama that hits all the right notes even if those notes aren’t new by any means.

still courtesy of Prime Video

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.