Multimedia Journal Entry #2:
Just Mercy (2019), directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, is a powerful film adaptation of Bryan Stevenson’s memoir, which chronicles his early career as a young African American lawyer fighting against systemic racism and wrongful convictions. Stevenson, portrayed by Michael B. Jordan, moves to Alabama in the late 1980s to defend inmates wrongfully sentenced to death row, specifically Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx), who was convicted of murdering a white woman despite overwhelming evidence of his innocence. The film closely examines racial prejudice, socioeconomic inequality, and the pervasive injustices embedded within America’s criminal justice system.
This film strongly relates to our course topics on privilege, power, and racial inequality in multicultural America. Stevenson’s relentless pursuit of justice amid systemic racism aligns with Ronald Takaki’s analysis of institutionalized discrimination against minority groups. As Takaki describes in A Different Mirror, racial minorities historically faced barriers constructed by deeply entrenched prejudice and systemic exclusion. Similarly, Walter McMillian’s case embodies the broader societal struggles that minorities encounter within the judicial system.
Representation and Intersectionality:
Just Mercy explicitly explores racial and ethnic identities through its narrative, challenging viewers to confront institutional racism. The film poignantly represents intersectionality by revealing how race, poverty, education, and geographical location compound to intensify marginalization. McMillian’s wrongful conviction was heavily influenced by his racial identity, socioeconomic class, and the rural South's prejudiced justice system. Intersectionality is further illustrated through the character Eva Ansley (Brie Larson), a white advocate who leverages her privilege to support Stevenson, highlighting the potential for cross-racial solidarity in the face of systemic injustice.
In connection to Guillermo Gómez-Peña’s performance piece, "Temple of Confessions," the film also forces audiences to confront their assumptions and biases. Just as Gómez-Peña compelled viewers to face their prejudices about immigrants, Just Mercy challenges viewers to acknowledge implicit biases surrounding race, crime, and punishment in America. Chela Sandoval’s writing on digital artivism highlights similar themes of community voice and representation, paralleling how Stevenson’s activism amplifies the silenced voices of marginalized communities.
Additionally, the film engages with Judy Baca’s concept of artivism by employing storytelling as a powerful tool for social change. Bryan Stevenson, like Baca, leverages narrative to inspire empathy, education, and activism among diverse audiences. Both Stevenson’s advocacy and Baca’s murals aim to empower communities by bringing societal injustices to broader public awareness.
A clip illustrating Bryan Stevenson’s powerful courtroom speech advocating justice.
(Warner Bros. Pictures, 2019)
(Equal Justice Initiative, eji.org)
Takaki, Ronald. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Back Bay Books, 2008.
Gómez-Peña, Guillermo, and Roberto Sifuentes. "The Temple of Confessions," NYU Libraries, 1996.
Sandoval, Chela. "Chicana/o Artivism: Judy Baca’s Digital Work with Youth of Color," UWM Canvas, 2008.
Just Mercy. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, with performances by Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Brie Larson, Warner Bros. Pictures, 2019.
Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). "Bryan Stevenson and Walter McMillian." eji.org. https://eji.org.
