The Burial is a true story of legacy and justice. At age 75, Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is in unexpected financial distress. Having built a conglomeration of once-successful funeral homes in Mississippi, he is struggling to keep them afloat. On the advice of his lawyer and friend Mike Allred (Alan Ruck), O’Keefe decides to sell some of his equity. The buyer is Raymond Loewen (Bill Camp), the president and CEO of a super-wealthy corporation intent on buying up funeral homes all across the country, especially in impoverished districts. When Loewen delays the deal, weakening O’Keefe’s position and standing. In response, the aging parlor owner enlists the help of slick-talking lawyer Willie E. Gray (Jamie Foxx). Gray, who typically handles personal injuries as opposed to contract law, takes the case once he uncovers a greater importance to the outcome of the impending decision.
What works in The Burial is the refreshingly light-hearted nature of the legal proceedings, which allows the character development and interaction to shine. On the surface, The Burial is about a contract dispute. From this starting point, Jones and Foxx squeeze depth out of the phenomenal script from writers Doug Wright (Quills) and Maggie Betts (Noviate) who also directed.The writing allows their characters to discover each other through the development of a genuine friendship. The chemistry between the two is authentic and incredibly fun. Both Foxx and Jones appear to relish every moment as they seamlessly and naturally float between drama and comedy. And as the audience becomes engrossed through characters’ exploration of each other, a weightier context emerges allowing The Burial insightful comment on themes of race exploitation in the 1990’s.
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Non-fans of legal dramas may not enjoy The Burial as much as others. The formula of the film is a very familiar courtroom procedural, and thus may feel telegraphed. There’s nothing particular flashy about The Burial (except Willie Gray’s style). The movie delivers exactly on the structure audiences have come to expect in the genre, which may feel derivative to some. Furthermore, The Burial explores some larger complex cultural and socioeconomic issues, but only scratches the surface. Some may wish the film explored these problems with a bit more depth.
The Burial is an incredibly solid film. It takes the rather mundane concept of funeral parlor contract law and transforms it into a highly engaging experience. This is the perfect movie for people who enjoy clever characters pitted against each other within the confines of the law.
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The Burial is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
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