Recently, Warner Brothers made the 2019 film Just Mercy free on all streaming platforms. As thousands of Americans across the country flood the streets of their cities and towns in support of the Black Lives Matter, movies like these are especially timely. While making the movie free may be a good business move, it is also socially responsible. In a time of injustice, it's important to have hope, and to believe in the possibility of a happy ending.
No scene in Just Mercy appeals to this ideal of justice more than the courtroom monologue scene.
The scene opens with lawyer and client exchanging this glance. This is loaded with subtext, as Bryan and Walter worry if this trial is doomed for the same result as the last. Bryan hesitates before standing up, reflecting his concern for Walter and his family, who are just out of frame.
The camera is looking down from the perspective of the judge. High angles like this make the subjects seem weak and powerless, and after the results of the last trial, it is especially fitting for this scene. Furthermore, the flood of white people in the courtroom crowds the frame. After the unjust decision of the earlier trial, the white people of Monroeville are just as much the enemy as the corrupt District Attorney is. Their presence in the frame overpowers Bryan and Walter, further conveying their initial weakness.
Bryan slowly stands up. This gesture, accompanied with a rising score, conveys a shift in momentum. Bryan is no longer sitting down and weak, he is standing up and confident. The framing of the shot has also changed, now showing the actors at their eye level instead of from above them. There is no longer the initial feeling of vulnerability, and Bryan is "rising" literally to the level of the judge and figuratively to the occasion of the trial.
Likewise, this new frame includes Walter's family in the background. The frame is no longer dominated by the crowd of white people, creating a power shift in the courtroom. Bryan and Walter's cause is growing against the hostile white audience, who are forced to watch from their seats.
"When you base your conviction on the coerced testimony of a white felon, and ignore the testimony of two-dozen law abiding black witnesses..."
Bryan is hitting his stride. In just a few sentences, he makes powerful appeals to both logic and emotion. He portrays the trial as not only a corrupt sham, but a fundamental injustice. This dual-edged rhetoric is effective, as it appeals to the minds and hearts of the judge and jury.
Likewise, Bryan is now moving freely. Walking around confidently, he has become comfortable in the courtroom. This gives him and his argument visual momentum, as he glides around the static frame.
"...Evidence is suppressed, and anybody who tries to tell the truth is threatened."
The scene cuts to a shot of Walter's family. Bryan's words correspond to them, as they have been the ones suppressed and threatened by the folks of Monroeville. More importantly, their inclusion in the scene aligns with Bryan's ideas. He's framing the argument as not only a trial over Walter's innocence, but a debate over the injustices of racism. Therefore, it makes sense to show Walter's African American family. They are the victims of prejudice in the room, marginalized in the back of the courtroom and forced to stand while the white people sit comfortably in their seats.
"This case becomes more than the trial of a single defendant."
These powerful words hammer in Bryan's argument. Cementing the aforementioned importance of showing Walter's family, he is refocusing his argument on "big ideas." This has a more powerful emotional appeal than the first trial, where he focused on the nitty gritty of the case. This grander argument is more appropriate for the occasion, as he is now at the Alabama Supreme Court.
Furthermore, this frame is shot on a much faster lens than previous shots in the scene. Bryan is now set apart from the background due to the blurring caused by the large aperture. This is powerful visual symbolism, aligning with his argument. He is separating himself from the prejudices of the white folks of Monroeville, instead appealing to the greater morals of the judge.
He exemplifies this idea when he subsequently states, "This becomes a test. Are we going to be ruled by anger and by fear, or by the rule of law?"
The camera pivots to show Bryan and the judge. Bryan stares at Walter's family in the back, connecting with their struggles before he continues his argument. This little touch makes his words that much more impactful when he states "The people in the back of this courtroom are all presumed guilty when accused."
Meanwhile, the framing of this shot represents the culmination of the power shift between lawyer, judge, and courtroom. Bryan is no longer sitting down, overpowered by a sea of white faces and a high angle camera. He is know standing, at the same level as the judge, and above the audience. His argument is no longer concerned with the local prejudices of the townspeople, but the morals and ideals of the honorable judge.
"If we're just going to accept the system that treats you better if you're rich and guilty than if you're poor and innocent, then we can't claim to be just."
This parallelism is a direct challenge to the judge. The execution of justice is up to her. This strong writing compels her to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular in Monroeville or the state of Alabama.
"...every citizen, regardless of wealth, race, or status."
Bryan turns, looking at Walter and the rest of the courtroom. He is now including the audience of his speech in his argument, which is portrayed by the framing of the shot. This appeal to the white people of Monroeville may be naive, but it shows his character to the judge. Bryan echoes the words of the Constitution, and hopes that as Americans, the audience may overcome their biases and join the side of justice.
"...of desperate people. Fueled by bigotry and bias, who ignored the truth in exchange for easy solutions."
The D.A. sits slumped in his seat, looking down at the table. He is beginning to realize that he is wrong, and his posture conveys it to the audience. Instead of outrage, his body language shows regret and disillusionment. This direction and acting make the D.A.'s internal struggle much more sophisticated, and sets up a great payoff for when he forfeits the case.
Bryan sits back down, and the audience comes back into focus. His argument is over, and the trial is in the hands of the judge. Bryan's moment of power is over, and the camera reverts to the high angle from the first shot.
Bryan and Walter exchange another glance. It is almost the exact same sequence of events as the first shot of the scene, giving the scene as a whole a circular feeling. Bryan went from powerless to powerful, and now back to powerless. This creates a feeling of suspense for us, the audience, as we worry that another unjust decision will be made.
Check out the full movie on Youtube Movies for free! Thanks for reading
Comments