Dan Gilroy is back with his second pic as writer and director after 2014’s Nightcrawler, and this time he’s got Denzel Washington with him. Like Nightcrawler that shined a light on the darker side of the TV news business, Roman J. Israel, Esq. is a dramatic thriller set in the underbelly of the overburdened Los Angeles criminal court system. Washington plays a driven, idealistic defense attorney whose life is upended when a turbulent series of events challenge the activism that has defined his career. Colin Farrell co-stars as the ambitious lawyer who eventually recruits Roman to his firm.
Sony Pictures sprang the movie at the Toronto Film Festival last month in a last-minute booking designed to make a statement. According to Deadline’s Pete Hammond who was there, and judging by audience response and buzz afterwards, the film landed well and it will certainly be a prestige entry when Sony releases it on a platform basis starting November 3.
Jennifer Fox and Todd Black produce with Washington. Brian Oliver, Betsy Danbury, Charles D. King, Kim Roth, Poppy Hanks, Michael Bloom, Adam Pincus, Aaron L. Gilbert, Alex Lebovici, Steve Ponce, Derek Dauchy and Ben Ross are executive producers.
Check out the trailer above.
SOURCE: Deadline – Patrick Hipes
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