Parents' Guide to The Burial

Set in the 1990s, The Burial is a courtroom drama that has comedic elements, dramatic flair, and a strong message of racial justice. While anyone can read the original The New Yorker article about this case for historical accuracy, this film is meant to show the ways some companies have worked to disavow, cover up, and deny racist histories that have continued to maintain great racial inequity.

As a film, the drama is framed well, the pacing is taut, and the performances are very good, especially Foxx's, who takes on the figure of Willie Gary with fierce, believable energy and passion. And just when there are doubts about whether he actually cares about the case, Foxx is able to show a depth and subtlety (like when he speaks about the case with his wife) that reminds viewers that he doesn't want to be merely successful, but really wants to stick it to "the man" -- which in this case is a giant company that has taken advantage of and exploited Black people and the Black National Baptist Convention. Jurnee Smollett more than holds her own as Foxx's opposition, and she has a commanding presence and is captivating every time she is on the screen. The only performative gripe might lie most in Jones' corner, as he's woefully outperformed here and could have grounded the film a bit better with a clearer or more robust performance.