Marshall (2017)

I hate to say most, but there's a lot of biopics that are very formulaic in nature. And come to think of it, every genre deals with that issue. I can acknowledge that it's immensely hard to make a film that feels fresh and relevant at the same time. But I think the reason I tend to feel this way about biopics is because a lot of them seem to be directly aimed for the Oscar audience. And while that could be the case with Marshall, it's nothing less than a delightful film to watch.

As with so many biopics, the main reason Marshall succeeds is Chadwick Boseman's unsurprisingly good turn as the famous lawyer, Thurgood Marshall. Whether or not Thurgood was this way in real life, I absolutely loved the sheer display of confidence in Boseman's portrayal. It was almost to the point of cockiness, without being arrogant. It's that balance that made me appreciate what this man brought to the table.

Of course, there's also the dynamic of having a story that is still relevant to this day. Not only are people of color still discriminated, underestimated, and not believed in the court of law, but the idea of pitting race against race in the courtroom is something that is still unfortunately an issue today. So in a way, it was disheartening to watch the injustices happening throughout Marshall, as we know they are far from being over in the 1940's, but it's always nice to see something stick up for their people no matter what time period they are from.

Boseman isn't the only one who gives a good performance as Josh Gad, Sterling K. Brown, Kate Hudson, James Cromwell, and a few others give valuable turns as their respected characters. I think my only issue with the film is that it ultimately felt very safe. I'm not one to know how these real life cases played out, but Marshall definitely feels like it took a guarded approach to the subject matter. Because of that, you can appeal to a mass audience, but I don't know that it was as detailed or thorough that it needed to be. Don't get me wrong, Marshall is a powerful film, but I think it could have taken an even further step forward into that realm.

8.2/10

Fmovies: You would think it would be straight forward to come up with a provocative movie set in the US when segregation was in vogue. Not so! Roger Friedman is a decendant of Sam Friedman and a film critic who wrote an interesting article criticising the many inaccuracies in this film.

So, the director and writers have an easy topic to critique history. They had a great man like Thurgood Marshall and some backward social attitudes that are as backward as our attitudes toward domestic violence today. Instead, the authors fill the movie with false facts and make Marshall look like an arrogant, unrefined twit (which he was neither). The directors and writers play the race card in all the wrong ways* and throw in a few sex jibes to top off a good dose of revisionism, undermining what could have been a great movie.

As others have said, Josh Gad was the better principal actor in this movie. Sterling Brown as the accused was far more nuanced and capable than Chadwick Boseman as Marshall. Boseman is charming, but a totally wrong fit.

I still give it a 6/10, which is very generous given the director and writers who totally failed to capture the essence of the story. The revisionist history and significant number of factual errors cast a large shadow over what could have been a great movie.

Is the truth not interesting enough? The real Marshall is an amazing man - far better than Boseman's insulting copy.

* Hollywood needs to curb its political correctness. I've banned my children from watching new movies until I screen them. That's how bad Hollywood has become. I know quite a few parents who feel the same way.

I thought the script was flawed and shallow. One dimensional cliché of a truly great subject. Thurgood Marshall was given short shrift. We need more than a one dimensional caricature to make a movie. Doesn't pass the sniff test. In short this was a quick movie-factory production-line job, as it were. Why? Is it because October is low season?

Marshall fmovies. Marshall Directed by Reginald Hudlin. Written by Michael Koskoff and Jacob Koskoff

I watch a variety of films. I like horror and thrillers but at the same time can enjoy a historical drama as well. This movie falls into that category. Marshall stars Chadwick Boseman(Black Panther) as Thurgood Marshall as he travels to Bridgeport, Connecticut to help a black man accused of raping a well to do woman. He is not allowed to participate in the court proceedings so his proxy is Josh Gad who is not a criminal defense attorney. This is all based on a true story. So it has that going for it.

This is a perfect example of a fine movie. A fine movie is enjoyable. A fine movie has quality performances throughout. A fine movie tells a story that you can follow and you might even be invested in but a fine movie doesn't do more than that. This is an important story. It tells how Marshall has this last trial to get the NAACP going in respect to civil rights progress.

It does all of this just fine. It just never engages more than that. It hits all the spots that it is supposed to hit when it comes to this kind of story. I hate trying to talk about movies like this. There is little to say because the movie tells it's courtroom drama adequately enough. It doesn't present with too much visual flair because the story is the most important aspect. I think it could have done with some melodramatics and some out there visual flair. It might have engaged with the pictures more than just the beat by beat it gives you.

I realize that I've not said anything about Black Panther himself. He's alright. He doesn't look a thing like Thurgood Marshall but that's not a big thing in this case. Sometimes it can be off putting. Sometimes it can be at the expense of who the character is internally. This does that somewhat. The case is the focal point.

I give this movie a C.

A look at the career of Thurgood Marshall. Maybe more people will know who he is and what exactly he accomplished.

Kudos entire cast was riveting!

Marshall is a sleek legal drama with great performances from Chadwick Boseman as the title character and Josh Gad. Don't be fooled by the snazzy vintage costumes, the real heart of Marshall's success is its screenplay and the chemistry between its lead actors.

This film follows pioneering Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in his earlier years as a lawyer for the NAACP. A white socialite in Greenwich, Connecticut, accuses a black man of rape and attempted murder. The NAACP believes the man, Joseph Spell, is innocent and sends Marshall to defend him. Marshall enlists local lawyer Sam Friedman (Josh Gad) whose previous track record involves tax or insurance cases. Friedman worries about his family's safety due to the unrest the controversial trial causes. Sam and Thurgood must work together to defend SpellÂ…and each other.

This film is very good and so is its screenplay. The touches of comedy bring a welcome balance to its serious topic and difficult history. There is an array of good lines for Boseman and Gad. Several other actors get a chance to shine as well. I appreciate that Marshall takes its subjects seriously, but doesn't take on a dreary tone doing it. The scenes in the courtroom are intense and keep you interested in the action. As the case develops, these scenes get more and more engaging.

While Boseman is very good as Thurgood Marshall, his performance is disappointing considering how hyped his portrayal has been in the film's ad campaign. He gives Marshall a suave personality but the script limits his ability to show off his range and really take the character on a journey. On the other hand, Josh Gad is a standout as Sam Friedman. He plays to his comedic strengths as Marshall's sidekick while also giving a genuinely good dramatic performance as a central and evolved character. He is a nice foil to Boseman and their chemistry reminds me of a buddy cop comedy.

The lesson I take from the film is that you have to follow your moral compass even when it's hard. Sam's unwillingness to join the case makes sense. He is just starting out and worried that it could ruin his reputation. The fact that he does it anyway is a testament to the person Friedman must have been in real life.

I give Marshall an age rating of 14 to 18 because of some racial and offensive language and suggestive and violent content, including depictions of the alleged assault. And my verdict on Marshall? 4 out of 5 stars. Marshall opens in theaters on October 13, 2017 so go check it out.

Reviewed by Benjamin P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.