A powerful and thought-provoking film inspired by real events, Just Mercy follows young lawyer (and later Equal Justice Initiative founder) Bryan Stevenson and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley.

One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian, who was sentenced in 1987 to die for the murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence, and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds-and the system-stacked against them.

Partly Filmed in Montgomery, the film is a must see. And though you’ll be able to see it at every other theatre in town, you know where you want to.

To join the film club discussion, come to the Monday show and stay afterward. Our host for the 13th is Rick Harmon, former film critic for the Montgomery Advertiser, whose reviews have also run in Entertainment Weekly, and our host for the 20th is Dr. Jackie Trimble, person of ASU’s Department of Languages and Literatures and award winning writer!