Roman J. Israel, Esq.

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2:24

Roman J. Israel, Esq.

PG-13

Released Nov 22, 2017

1h 57m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

55%

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175 Reviews

57%

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2,500+ Ratings

Roman J. Israel is an idealistic defense attorney whose life gets upended when his boss and mentor -- the legendary civil rights icon William Henry Jackson -- dies unexpectedly. He's then recruited to join a law firm led by George Pierce, an ambitious lawyer who was one of Jackson's former students. Israel's legacy of activism soon gets put to the test when he takes on the case of Langston Bailey, a young man accused of murdering a convenience store clerk.

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Critics Consensus

Intriguing yet heavy-handed, Roman J. Israel, Esq. makes the most of -- but never quite lives up to -- Denzel Washington's magnetic performance in the title role.

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Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

It's a brilliant performance in a film that's an honorable misstep.

Aug 28, 2018

Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

There's an interesting drama in there, but it has not been given time to fight its way out of the semi-digested mulch all around.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 5, 2018

Full Review

Simran Hans

Observer (UK)

We don't learn very much about Israel's relationships or motivations from the screenplay, but it's fascinating to watch Washington's display of repressed turmoil.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 4, 2018

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Cloaked inside a frumpy legal savant, "Roman J. Israel, Esq." is another exemplary piece of evidence to Denzel Washington's range, focus, and presence.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 28, 2025

Full Review

Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

What a delight to see an acting institution unto himself — crafting a chatty character of almost unspoken complexity who is tearful, fallible, mortal, deeply despondent and absolutely unlike anything Denzel Washington has ever done.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 28, 2024

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Gilroy and Washington deftly open up this character’s quirks and complexities, and even when the narrative begins to wander Roman is still the focus.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 25, 2022

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Metmet x

one boring movie. gave up on it after 20 minutes.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/30/25

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Ian B

This is a great movie. It's Denzel like we've never seen him before, but he gives an amazing performance regardless. I think the negative ratings are due to this not being a movie where Denzel shoots someone. This is an intellectual film. This is a thought-provoking story. This is not an action movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/13/25

Full Review

Online A

An important movie that's message is as real of an observation about life as I've ever seen. You can bounce from industry to industry and job to job trying to find something moral, yet it's possible that the basis of capitalist society leaves little room for your ethics. Your hand can thus feel forced, you might feel forced to make compromise, and yet you still may feel the consequences of your compromises. Nearly a folk tale in nature. How it lands with viewers as a film may range widely, but it's simply an impeccably written script.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/23/24

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Viola O

I was so concentrated on the character of Denzel that only afterwards I realized how slow the film was but denzel the top

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/15/24

Full Review

StuffbyDre

The movie devolves instead of evolving. Would have been a better movie watching it backwards and having a different ending.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/01/24

Full Review

Dallas H

I guess I go against the grain by being annoyed and frustrated with Dan Gilroy's Nightcrawler (2014) but genuinely enjoying this movie, which has many viewers muddled and unimpressed. As usual, Denzel Washington turns in a solid performance. I liked this movie and will want to watch it again.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/24

Full Review

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Dan Gilroy

Director

Denzel Washington

Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Colin Farrell

George Pierce

Carmen Ejogo

Maya Alston

Lynda Gravatt

Vernita Wells

Amanda Warren

Lynn Jackson

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Standing Up For Who Can't

2:28

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - A Really Bad Day at the Office

1:41

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Sistahs Stand Up

3:27

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Lack of Success is Self-Imposed

3:05

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - I'm Going Away

2:09

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Live in What You Did Wrong

3:14

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - The Time Has Come

3:29

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Hanging By a Thread

3:13

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Underwear Model, Esq.

2:46

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - White People's Court

2:25

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Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Trailer 1

2:24

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Synopsis

Roman J. Israel is an idealistic defense attorney whose life gets upended when his boss and mentor -- the legendary civil rights icon William Henry Jackson -- dies unexpectedly. He's then recruited to join a law firm led by George Pierce, an ambitious lawyer who was one of Jackson's former students. Israel's legacy of activism soon gets put to the test when he takes on the case of Langston Bailey, a young man accused of murdering a convenience store clerk.

Director: Dan Gilroy
Producer: Jennifer Fox, Todd Black, Denzel Washington
Screenwriter: Dan Gilroy
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Escape Artists, LStar Capital, Cross Creek Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Language and Some Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 22, 2017, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 26, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.7M
Runtime: 1h 57m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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