Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)

There are a lot of interesting things in this movie, but I felt like the movie didn't really flesh out any of those ideas quite enough. The most effective theme was the inner conflict between cynicism and idealism. I think it's probably a dilemma that is not uncommon for civil rights lawyers. This is only theme that really plays out and spoiler alert...neither really wins out. Roman J. Israel has been nobly working for years on a brief challenging the plea bargaining system. Denzel Washington is excellent as the savant lawyer. For maybe just a minute, he gets to explain his brief. But other than that, this idea is not thoroughly explored. And there is a lot to be said. The plea bargaining system used around the country, and now even adopted around the world, is a miscarriage of justice. And I would have liked to hear more about the legal challenge. He does take care to explain his seemingly nonsensical legal challenge against himself. And it seems like Colin Farrell understands his legal reasoning. But I did not. And I can't find a proper explanation anywhere on the internet. So I'm just going to go on not understanding. That definitely could have been better explained.

Nightcrawler (2014)

Nightcrawler is a devilishly stylish thriller.  Jake Gyllenhaal plays a troubled man who films crime scenes and sells footage to news stations.  The idea is novel and the execution is superb.  Jake Gyllenhaal keeps you on the edge of your seat, guessing what conniving thing he'll do next.  He's a fast talker with a unique outlook on life, which he voices often.  He says his lines straight faced, deadpan in all seriousness, even when the words coming out of his mouth are twisted.  Most of the action takes place at night, and the darkness amidst the lights of Los Angeles adds to the noir feel and atmosphere.