Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Roman J. Israel is a lawyer earning $500 a week at a small law firm in Los Angeles. In his two-partner office, Roman is responsible for preparing briefs, often focusing on the civil rights of clients, while William Jackson, the firm's founder and a well-respected professor, focuses on the courtroom appearances with which Roman struggles. Roman has spent years developing a brief that he believes will bring reform to the unfair use of plea bargaining to induce guilty pleas in the justice system. Though short on social skills, Roman is gifted with a phenomenal memory, as well as strong personal convictions, which he has pursued at the expense of family.

Jackson suffers a fatal heart attack and the firm, saddled with debt, will close. Jackson's former student, George Pierce, handles the unwinding of the firm, and impressed by Roman's legal mind, offers him a job at Pierce's own large firm. Roman initially rejects this offer, believing that Pierce is simply a greedy lawyer. He meets Maya during a job interview at a local activist network. The interview does not go well, but Maya asks him to speak at an upcoming meeting organizing a protest. Struggling to find a job elsewhere, Roman reluctantly takes up Pierce's job offer.

Roman is a poor fit at his new firm, clashing with senior partner Jesse Salinas over a joke Salinas makes about battered women. After attempting to interest Pierce in his brief, Roman is disappointed to be assigned to handle clients. One such client is Derrell Ellerbee, a young man arrested for murder, who tells Roman that he is willing to divulge the whereabouts of the actual shooter, Carter "CJ" Johnson, and will testify against him. Roman goes behind Pierce's back to negotiate a plea deal with the district attorney. The prosecutor rejects his offer, and hangs up on Roman after he insults her unsympathetic counteroffer. As a consequence, Ellerbee is also denied the protective custody he begged for in prison and is murdered as a snitch.

After Roman is berated by Pierce for mishandling Ellerbee's case, he is mugged by a homeless man he attempted to help. This results in Roman becoming downcast and cynical, illegally using the information he received from Ellerbee to anonymously collect the $100,000 reward for Johnson's location. Roman indulges in luxuries he had previously eschewed. Pierce apologizes to Roman for the earlier confrontation and for forcing him out of the shadows, accepting that he thrives working behind the scenes as he did at his old firm. Maya calls Roman to ask him out on a date, where she shares some of her struggles with idealism and thanks Roman for inspiring her. Pierce invites Roman to a luxury box, where he shares some of his big plans for their future at the firm.

Pierce calls Roman to meet a new client arrested for murder. Before the meeting, Pierce resumes the conversation from the game, stating that Roman’s dedication to justice has touched him and that he is reorganizing the firm to take on pro bono cases handled by Roman. Pierce offers to work with Roman on his brief. Roman, still despondent, is unmoved by these developments. They go in to see the client, who turns out to be Johnson. Meeting Roman in jail, Johnson accuses him of divulging privileged communications to collect the reward money and resolves to torment Roman with the threat of jail time or death. Roman suffers a breakdown as he comes to recognize his own actions as unlawful.

Renouncing his momentary transgression, Roman goes home and returns the reward money with a note apologizing for taking it in the first place. He reconciles with Maya and Pierce, and tries to motivate them to pursue their inner sense of justice. He tells Pierce that he is turning himself in to the police for his crime. As Roman starts walking to a nearby station, he is shot and killed by one of Johnson's henchmen. In the aftermath, Maya is seen to be renewed in her activism efforts, while Pierce files Roman's brief, in both their names, intent on continuing his efforts to reform the justice system.

{{castlist|

• Denzel Washington as Roman J. Israel
• Colin Farrell as George Pierce
• Carmen Ejogo as Maya Alston
• Shelley Hennig as Olivia Reed
• Lynda Gravatt as Vernita Wells
• Amanda Warren as Lynn Jackson (niece)
• Hugo Armstrong as Fritz Molinar
• Sam Gilroy as Connor Novick
• Tony Plana as Jesse Salinas
• DeRon Horton as Derrell Ellerbee
• Amari Cheatom as Carter Johnson
• Nazneen Contractor as Assistant D.A. Melina Nassour
• Joseph David-Jones as Marcus Jones
• Henry G. Sanders as Pastor Jack
• Andrew Tinpo Lee as James Lee{{cite web |title=Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017) Full Cast & Crew |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6000478/fullcredits |website=IMDB.com |access-date=8 November 2023}}

}}

On August 25, 2016, Dan Gilroy's next directorial project was revealed to be Inner City, a legal drama in the vein of The Verdict. Gilroy was then courting Denzel Washington to star.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/denzel-washington-dan-gilroy-inner-city-1201844650/|title=Denzel Washington Circling Dan Gilroy's Legal Drama 'Inner City' (EXCLUSIVE)|last=Setoodeh|first=Ramin|date=August 25, 2016|work=Variety|publisher=Penske Business Media|access-date=April 22, 2017}} Sony Pictures reportedly was closing a deal to distribute the film, with principal photography scheduled to begin in March 2017.{{cite news|url=https://screenrant.com/inner-city-dan-gilroy-denzel-washington-sony/|title=Sony Nears Deal For Denzel Washington's Inner City|last=Agar|first=Chris|date=September 21, 2016|work=Screen Rant|access-date=April 22, 2017}} Gilroy's collaborators on Nightcrawler, cinematographer Robert Elswit and editor John Gilroy, worked with him again on the project.{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2016/09/denzel-washington-dan-gilroy-inner-city-sony-pictures-spec-package-1201823403/|title=Sony Pictures Near Deal For Denzel Washington-Dan Gilroy Spec Package 'Inner City'|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=September 21, 2016|work=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Business Media|access-date=April 22, 2017}} On January 31, 2017, a report stated that Colin Farrell was in talks to join the cast.{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/colin-farrell-talks-join-denzel-washington-thriller-city-970752|title=Colin Farrell in Talks to Join Denzel Washington in Thriller 'Inner City'|last=Kit|first=Borys|date=January 31, 2017|work=The Hollywood Reporter|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=April 22, 2017}} As of February 28, 2017, Ashton Sanders was in talks to join as well, though he was unable to because of scheduling conflicts.{{cite news|url=https://thefilmstage.com/news/moonlight-star-ashton-sanders-joins-denzel-washington-and-colin-farrell-in-tony-gilroys-inner-city/|title='Moonlight' Star Ashton Sanders Joins Denzel Washington and Colin Farrell in Dan Gilroy's 'Inner City'|last=Mazzanti|first=Mike|date=February 28, 2017|work=The Film Stage|access-date=April 22, 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2017/apr/22/moonlight-ashton-sanders-america-isnt-made-for-black-man|title=Moonlight's Ashton Sanders: 'America isn't made for the black man'|last=Lee|first=Benjamin|date=April 22, 2017 |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |access-date=April 22, 2017 }} In April 2017, Nazneen Contractor{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2017/04/nazneen-contractor-untitled-denzel-washington-film-sendhil-ramamurthy-shotgun-1202067403/|title=Nazneen Contractor Cast In Untitled Denzel Washington Thriller; Sendhil Ramamurthy Joins 'Shotgun'|last=N'Duka|first=Amanda|date=April 10, 2017|work=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Business Media|access-date=April 22, 2017 }} and Joseph David-Jones{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/joseph-david-jones-denzel-washington-inner-city-1202029516/ |title=Denzel Washington's Crime Drama 'Inner City' Adds Joseph David-Jones (EXCLUSIVE) |last=McNary |first=Dave |date=April 12, 2017 |work=Variety|publisher=Penske Business Media |access-date=April 22, 2017 }} joined the cast. As of April 21, 2017, Inner City had begun filming in Los Angeles.{{cite news|url=http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2017/04/21/friday-april-21-filming-locations-inner-city-shooter-chicago-med-mr-robot/|title=Friday, April 21 Filming Locations for Inner City, Shooter, Chicago Med, Mr. Robot & more!|date=April 21, 2017|work=On Location Vacations|author=Christine|access-date=April 22, 2017}} In June 2017, Carmen Ejogo joined the cast as a civil rights worker.{{Cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/carmen-ejogo-joins-denzel-washington-legal-drama-1015267 |title=Carmen Ejogo Joins Denzel Washington in Legal Drama |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=June 20, 2017 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |access-date=June 22, 2017 }} On June 22, 2017, the film was renamed Roman J. Israel, Esq.{{cite news |last=Kit |first=Borys |title=Sony's Denzel Washington Legal Drama Gets Title (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sonys-denzel-washington-legal-drama-gets-title-1016032 |date=June 22, 2017 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |access-date=June 22, 2017 }}

James Newton Howard composed the film's music, as he previously worked with Gilroy on Nightcrawler.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} The score is now released at Sony Classical.

{{Track listing

| total_length = 40:08

| title1 = Supreme Court of Absolute Universal Law

| length1 = 1:44

| title2 = Just Continuances

| length2 = 1:35

| title3 = Roman Walks Home

| length3 = 1:49

| title4 = George Pierce Offices

| length4 = 2:12

| title5 = Nonprofit Talks

| length5 = 3:36

| title6 = The Brief

| length6 = 1:47

| title7 = Maple Glazed Donut

| length7 = 3:03

| title8 = The Drop

| length8 = 2:04

| title9 = The Real Enemy Within

| length9 = 2:59

| title10 = Roman's Judgment

| length10 = 3:26

| title11 = It's All in the Rearview Mirror

| length11 = 2:11

| title12 = To Make the Call

| length12 = 3:11

| title13 = Are You Okay Mister?

| length13 = 2:51

| title14 = Guard! Guard!

| length14 = 2:03

| title15 = Filing the Brief

| length15 = 5:37

}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/roman-j-israel-esq/|work=Soundtrack.net |title=Roman J. Israel, Esq. Soundtrack (2017) }}

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2017,{{cite news |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=April 16, 2018 |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/la-en-mn-denzel-washington-roman-israel-esq-oscars-tiff-20170830-story.html |first=Glenn |last=Whipp |date=August 31, 2017 |title=Denzel Washington is back in the awards mix with TIFF entry 'Roman J. Israel, Esq.' }}{{cite web |url=http://www.tiff.net/tiff/changes.html |publisher=Toronto International Film Festival |title=Schedule Changes |access-date=September 5, 2017}} before its commercial release on November 17, 2017, initially limited, by Sony Pictures Releasing.{{cite web |url=https://sonypicturespublicity.com/dom/secured/title/titleContainer.jsf?terrtitleId=1668 |publisher=Sony Pictures Digital|work=Sony Pictures Publicity |title=Roman J. Israel, Esq. - Title summary |access-date=September 5, 2017}} Following its festival premiere, the film was re-edited to tighten its pacing, with a dozen minutes (including one whole subplot) being shaved off the final runtime, and a key scene regarding Colin Farrell's character being shifted from the third act to earlier in the film.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/10/dan-gilroy-denzel-washington-recut-roman-j-israel-esq-toronto-film-festival-twelve-minutes-shorter-colin-farrell-1202190177/|title=Retrial! How Dan Gilroy & Denzel Trimmed 12 Minutes Of 'Roman J. Israel, Esq' Following Toronto Bow|work=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Business Media|date=October 18, 2017|access-date=November 6, 2017|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.}}

Roman J. Israel, Esq. grossed $12 million in the United States and Canada, and $1.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $13 million.

In the United States and Canada, Roman J. Israel, Esq. was released alongside Justice League, The Star, and Wonder on November 17, 2017. The film grossed $61,999 from four theaters in its limited opening weekend, for a per-venue average of $15,500.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/justice-league-opening-weekend-box-office-lower-thor-ragnarok-wonder-the-star-1202211094/|title='Justice League' Encounters Kryptonite At The B.O. With $96M Opening: Why The DC Movie Weakened – Sunday AM Update|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|work=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Business Media|date=November 19, 2017|access-date=November 19, 2017}} It then expanded to 1,648 theaters the following Wednesday, alongside the openings of Coco and The Man Who Invented Christmas. It went on to gross at $4.5 million over the three-day weekend (and $6.2 million over the five), finishing 9th at the box office.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/coco-justice-league-wonder-thanksgiving-box-office-1202213755/|title=Thanksgiving B.O. At $268M, +3% Over 2016 Spurred By 'Coco' & Holdovers|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro |work=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Business Media |date=November 26, 2017|access-date=November 26, 2017}} It fell 57% in its second weekend to $1.9 million.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/12/coco-three-billboards-shape-of-water-wonder-post-thanksgiving-weekend-box-office-1202217467/|title='Coco' Looking At Sweet $26M+ As Specialty Sector Pops With Awards Contenders – Sunday Final|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 3, 2017|access-date=December 3, 2017|archive-date=March 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331231641/https://deadline.com/2017/12/coco-three-billboards-shape-of-water-wonder-post-thanksgiving-weekend-box-office-1202217467/|url-status=live}}

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 54% based on 177 reviews, with an average rating of 5.80/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Intriguing yet heavy-handed, Roman J. Israel, Esq. makes the most of — but never quite lives up to — Denzel Washington's magnetic performance in the title role."{{cite web |title=Roman J. Israel, Esq (2017) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/roman_j_israel_esq |work=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango |access-date=October 6, 2021 }} On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating to reviews, the film has a weighted average score 58 out of 100, based 41 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web |title=Roman J. Israel, Esq reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/roman-j-israel-esq |work=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=January 30, 2018 }} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemascore.com|title=Find CinemaScore|format=Type "Roman J" in the search box|publisher=CinemaScore|access-date= February 4, 2021}}

Writing for Rolling Stone, Peter Travers gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, praising Washington and writing, "In no way is his performance a stunt. Washington digs so deep under the skin of this complex character that we almost breathe with him. It's a great, award-caliber performance in a movie that can barely contain it."{{cite magazine |last=Travers |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Travers|title='Roman J. Israel, Esq' Review: 'Great' Denzel Washington Breaks New Ground |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/travers-denzel-washington-great-in-roman-j-israel-esq-w511642 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=November 16, 2017|access-date=November 22, 2017 }} Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 2 out of 4 stars. He also highlighted Washington, but criticized the narrative, saying, "Roman J. Israel, Esq. has pockets of intrigue, and writer-director Gilroy and Washington have teamed up to create a promising dramatic character. We just never get full delivery on that promise."{{cite news |last=Roeper |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Roeper |date=November 21, 2017 |title=Roman J. Israel, Esq.' waylays a winning Denzel Washington character|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/roman-j-israel-esq-waylays-a-winning-denzel-washington-character/|website=Chicago Sun Times |access-date=November 22, 2017 }}

In his review for Empire, Simon Braund summarized the political motives in the film viewed as a legal thriller stating, "It illustrates succinctly how at odds with the modern world Roman Israel is. A brilliant legal mind, trapped in the body of a twitchy social misfit, he has all the hallmarks of a true genius-savant — the interpersonal skills of a yeast cell, dress sense of an Open University lecturer circa 1973 and an unshakeable conviction that justice for the poor and dispossessed is a cause worth fighting for. To this deeply unfashionable end, he's spent decades toiling in the shadows at a tiny law firm, making trouble for The Man while compiling a vast, unwieldy brief he hopes will, one day, set the American legal system on its ear."{{cite news |last=Braund |first=Simon |date=January 29, 2018 |title=Roman J Israel, Esq Review |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/roman-j-israel-esq/review/ |website=Empire |access-date=March 2, 2018 }}

Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote, "It leaves us with a character you won't soon forget, but you wish that the movie were as haunting as he is."{{cite web |date= September 11, 2017 |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |author-link=Owen Gleiberman |title=Film Review: Denzel Washington in 'Roman J. Israel, Esq.' |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/roman-j-israel-esq-review-denzel-washington-1202553444/ |website=Variety }}

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Category:2010s legal drama films

Category:Cross Creek Pictures films

Category:Columbia Pictures films

Category:Escape Artists films

Category:Topic Studios films

Category:Bron Studios films

Category:Imagenation Abu Dhabi films

Category:Films directed by Dan Gilroy

Category:Films with screenplays by Dan Gilroy

Category:Films produced by Denzel Washington

Category:Films scored by James Newton Howard

Category:American legal drama films

Category:Films set in Los Angeles

Category:2017 drama films

Category:2017 films

Category:2010s English-language films

Category:2010s American films