We all fear “Martial” law I suppose but this movie is nothing to be concerned with unless you have kids and you’re looking for a date night, educational but hilarious and so much more. “Marshall” Law… Fine With Me, or maybe, “Friedman Law”.
Actually, it was more than fine with me, it’s quite amazing to be sure, incredible, well worth the watch, kudos all around for the cast. I wasn’t skeptical or anything but let’s just say I wasn’t in a rush to see it but I would definitely go and see it again it has a little bit of everything to be sure making one well-done story.
From Chadwick Boseman, to Josh Gad, and Kate Hudson, though out of the three, Josh Gad really made this movie, though since it’s based on a true story I don’t know whether to say that Boseman really helped Gad to shine or if that’s just how it was between the real Marshall and Friedman in reality. As with Kate Hudson, I’m tempted to call her role cliché but it was awesome to see how well she took to it, though the ending was somewhat subdued for my taste. There is more than enough action to keep up with all the legal jargon, though with some of that action I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this as an educational tool for the kids.
So that’s enough for “Fandango” overall I like a movie that’s able to stimulate, motivate, and educate all in one; it’s films like this that sort of show me why perhaps my father ‘had’ such high hopes for me and for himself. I can’t help but wonder if the real Thurgood Marshall was such a badass, again based on a true story and just like any of the books I read you just have to know how much is on point. If I learned anything besides, some lawyer talk and of course how bad things were back then for the record, women are nothing but trouble, I’m half-way kidding maybe.
“’Cause white women
don’t bring nothin’ but trouble.
That ain’t white women, man.
That’s women.” Save The Last Dance (2001)
Honestly, I didn’t have any inclination to just go and see this movie, “Regal Crown Club” knows how to take care of its members but anyway right after the movie I was telling a friend how awesome it is. Considering this day and age I believe this movie says plenty, I almost couldn’t believe the correlation between yesteryear and today.
As far as plot, again I would usually say that this movie might feed of something like the 1997 film “Rosewood” but if anything it shows that the more things change the more they stay the same throughout history, can’t go lynching a town but that’s only a span of 1923 to around 1940 if I’m remembering the timeframe. Now I also joked about women but other than Kate Hudson who you’re supposed to hate as a character the other female roles and supporting cast were top notch and astounding.
In case the trailer didn’t give it away, “Eleanor Strubing” (Kate Hudson) frames a black man for rape and attempted murder, and it’s up to Thurgood Marshall and an extremely reluctant Sam Friedman to defend him. I’m sure some people might be somewhat disappointed since this isn’t the Chadwick talking so much loud and proud against the state he truly has to play off Josh for that but it comes out well. Maybe I’m an idiot for not seeing the truth until the end but that’s refreshing when your audience has to think and has to imagine what comes next.
Keesha Sharp and Marina Squerciati who played Marshall and Friedman’s wives respectively did quite well for what screen time they received. I wish I could remember that one woman though, who led the jury, I don’t want to risk sounding stupider but the way she and Josh played off each other, was smoking. Speaking of smoking the rest of the cast made my blood boil but in a good way and the scenes between Kate and Sterling K. Brown were done well to be sure.
Another reason you might not want to bring the kids is the language, not that it’s over the top, it’s used exactly where it’s needed but still, it’s there. The movie itself isn’t offensive but it will give African Americans and Jewish Americans something to bond over, that’s a fact.
Now if you don’t want any spoilers, I advise you turn back now with my five out of five-star blessing because these are just too good not to share. Am I making this movie sound perfect, it’s not bad at all though there are a few things I would have done differently, of course, this is history so there’s that.
“If there is absolutely no way you can get out of taking a terrible beating, the only sensible thing to do is, get in the first lick!” Billy Jack, The Trial of Billy Jack (1974)
Josh Gad made me proud when he knew he was going to get beat up but swung first and usually something like that isn’t funny but when he was expecting round two, he picked up a knife at home which his wife promptly took and handed him a bigger butcher knife (Wife Goals). Chadwick Boseman did his share of fighting and the quips he and Josh shared were excellent, even when he was forced to remain silent and speak through Gad. Of course, there was the verdict and the passing glances between the forewoman on the jury her and Gad, and Strubing and Spell, sort of reminisce of “Life” 1999
Yes, I was one of those disappointed people who expected Marshall to be all fire and brimstone but he had to work through Friedman nearly the entire time. The ending sort of just petered out, we didn’t get to see what happened to Strubing, was the whole synagogue scene just to drive the point that Friedman was Jewish and Marshall just walking off talking about dinner and the next case. I am impressed though with this one fact, that just like today, a white man commits a crime and he’s a pillar of the community he’s a good person, but a black man will have every sin dug up to villainize him, guilty or innocent.
Five stars, a great movie, if the true story of Rosewood was too hard to stomach Marshall will fit the bill with a happy ending. One more thing, just a note, I like Common and all, he and John Legend were awesome with the song “Glory” but the theme song for Marshall while decent, it’s not Glory, but anyway, this movie truly is glory honestly.