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Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Play trailer 2:24 Poster for Roman J. Israel, Esq. PG-13 Released Nov 22, 2017 1h 57m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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55% Tomatometer 175 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 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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Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Roman J. Israel, Esq.

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member The Acting Performance especially by Denzel Washington is very good but to be honest this concept doesn't necessarily needed to be filmed into a Movie. The whole Film almost was over when the first huge plot and the first exciting scene happened, it might be my fault because I didn't know what to expect about this Movie since I haven't watched any trailers for it but at the end of the day this is just very boring. The last 30 Minutes were pretty impressive and probably the best part about this Movie but overall this just is a mid Film and beside the acting It really doesn't has much great elements in it. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/02/25 Full Review Stephen C Success in 1 hour and 57 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $11,700,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/01/25 Full Review Metmet x one boring movie. gave up on it after 20 minutes. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 06/30/25 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
Roman J. Israel, Esq.

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Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Standing Up For Who Can't 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 Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - A Really Bad Day at the Office 1:41 Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Sistahs Stand Up Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Sistahs Stand Up 3:27 Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Lack of Success is Self-Imposed Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Lack of Success is Self-Imposed 3:05 Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - I'm Going Away Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - I'm Going Away 2:09 Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Live in What You Did Wrong Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Live in What You Did Wrong 3:14 Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - The Time Has Come Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - The Time Has Come 3:29 Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Hanging By a Thread Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Hanging By a Thread 3:13 Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Underwear Model, Esq. Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - Underwear Model, Esq. 2:46 Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - White People's Court Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Official Clip - White People's Court 2:25 View more videos
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Movie Info

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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