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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173 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

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

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

However noble the film's intentions, the material receives a muddied and unclear treatment from its director and star.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 17, 2022

Full Review

Kip Mooney

College Movie Review

Tries to be a morality play, a character study, an indictment of the unjust legal system and occasionally a thriller, a romance and a drama about mental illness.

Rated: C+

Aug 24, 2021

Full Review

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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

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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

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Alec B

A compounding catastrophe of missed opportunities and baffling narrative choices. Washington's not bad, but the filmmakers have no idea what to do with his character.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/05/24

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Nick R

Total lack of genuine social commentary, making all the profound proclamations about vague notions of justice come across as totally hollow. For the same reason, it was hard to sympathize with the protagonists motivations. Everything seemed disjointed, random, weird and uncompelling because of this crucial whole at the core of a film about someone fighting for social justice - what was he actually fighting for beyond vague ideas of "social revolution" and plea bargain reform.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/03/23

Full Review

Gareth v

A movie that relies on the performance of it's lead. And Denzel delivers. A good flick.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/22/23

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

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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: Cross Creek Pictures, LStar Capital, Escape Artists
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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