Overview
The Burial is a 2023 American courtroom-drama film directed by Maggie Betts, co-written with Doug Wright, inspired by a real legal battle in the mid-1990s. Collider+3Wikipedia+3TIME+3
The story centres on Jeremiah “Jerry” O’Keefe (played by Tommy Lee Jones), a Mississippi funeral home owner whose business is under threat from the Loewen Group, a corporate funeral company. When a handshake deal with Loewen’s CEO goes awry, O’Keefe takes legal action. To fight the corporation, he enlists the services of Willie E. Gary (played by Jamie Foxx), a flamboyant, charismatic personal injury attorney from Florida. TIME+4Wikipedia+4thehindu.com+4
Other notable cast members include Jurnee Smollett, Mamoudou Athie, Bill Camp, Alan Ruck, and Pamela Reed. Wikipedia+2About Amazon+2
The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 11, 2023. It had a limited theatrical release beginning October 6, 2023, and then began streaming on Amazon Prime Video starting October 13. Rotten Tomatoes+3Wikipedia+3About Amazon+3
Budget was around US$32.5 million. Wikipedia
Jamie Foxx’s Role: Willie E. Gary
Character & Performance
Jamie Foxx plays Willie E. Gary, one of the central figures in the drama. Willie Gary is depicted as a flashy, charismatic trial lawyer known for his bold style, self-confidence, and courtroom showmanship. He is used to personal injury cases and has earned a reputation, but this case — defending O’Keefe in a contract dispute against a large corporation — is outside his usual comfort zone. Collider+2TIME+2
Foxx brings energy, personality, and a kind of swagger to the role. Reviewers have praised his performance, saying that he “lights up the screen” and that this is one of his best in years. Critics note that he balances grand speeches, theatricality, and emotional beats with enough grounding to make the character feel real and compelling. Vanity Fair+4Rotten Tomatoes+4Cinemablend+4
One of the strengths of Foxx’s portrayal is how he injects humor, charm, and charisma. The film doesn’t shy away from letting Gary be audacious — sometimes over the top — but Foxx makes it work by giving the character enough vulnerability and moral weight. As the case progresses, Gary is shown grappling internally with issues of race, justice, privilege, and what it means to fight a David vs Goliath battle. TIME+2thehindu.com+2
Growth & Arc
An important part of the film is the transformation or development of Gary. He begins somewhat outside of his usual realm — unfamiliar with contract law disputes and cautious about being drawn into something so high-stakes and possibly beyond his domain. But gradually, he becomes more invested, not just because of the potential financial reward or fame, but because he sees the broader implications: for justice, for racial inequity, for fairness in a system stacked against small, often Black business owners. thehindu.com+2TIME+2
This arc allows the film to do more than just show a legal fight; it becomes a lens through which systemic issues are interrogated. For example, the film brings out the “death care” industry’s exploitation of historically marginalized communities, corporate bullying, the weakness of handshake deals in facing powerful entities, and how legal procedures/power dynamics often favor the wealthy or well connected. TIME+2thehindu.com+2
Themes & Social Context
Race, Privilege, & Inequality
One of the strongest elements of The Burial is how it foregrounds race and inequality. The film shows that O’Keefe is a Black businessman in Mississippi, running a local funeral home with roots in his community, and running up against corporate interests that see funeral homes as profit opportunities. The racial dynamics are not superficial — they are integral to the story: how Black communities are targeted or exploited, how legal access, power, respect differ for people of color, etc. TIME+2The Guardian+2
Willie Gary, as a successful Black lawyer, represents a kind of aspirational figure, but also someone who must navigate the expectations and prejudices of juries, opposing counsel, judges, etc. The film uses him to highlight how gaining access to justice is not simply about having money or talent, but also about race, culture, style, and presence. thehindu.com+2Collider+2
Corporate Power & Justice
The film is “David vs Goliath” in a literal sense: one small business whose roots are local, familial, community oriented versus a multinational corporation with bottom-line focus, large resources, legal teams, etc. The plot reveals how corporate entities can use their power to push out small players, exploit people, rely on legal ambiguities, etc. This is especially resonant because the corporation involved (Loewen) in real life had hundreds of funeral homes and many cemeteries, which puts the scale of power difference in relief. TIME+2Wikipedia+2
This theme is amplified by how contracts, handshake deals, insurance demands, regulatory bodies are all woven into the story, showing that for small business owners, legal and bureaucratic systems are not neutral playing fields. Wikipedia+2thehindu.com+2
Legacy, Community, Family
O’Keefe’s fight is not just about money; it’s about preserving what he built for his family and community. The funeral home business is often more than purely commercial; for many communities, particularly in the American South, funeral homes are a point of heritage, social standing, local identity. The threat to it is existential, not just financial. Foxx’s Gary understands that, and the emotional core of the film lies in that struggle to defend legacy, dignity, and roots. thehindu.com+2About Amazon+2
Strengths
- Strong performances: Jamie Foxx, despite playing a larger-than-life character at times, is widely lauded. Tommy Lee Jones provides a grounded counterbalance. Supporting cast (Jurnee Smollett, Mamoudou Athie) also get praise. Rotten Tomatoes+2Collider+2
- Engagement & Entertainment: Critics note that the film is crowd-pleasing; it mixes moments of tension, humor, courtroom theatrics, emotional gravity, and moral clarity. It evokes classic legal dramas of the 1990s, which many viewers find refreshing. Cinemablend+2The Guardian+2
- Social commentary: The movie doesn’t merely show a legal case, but probes bigger issues of inequality, race, power. It balances entertainment with weight. The “death care” industry, corporate malfeasance, racial exploitation — these are not just background; they are integral. TIME+2The Guardian+2
- Dialogue & Style: The film is praised for its energy, style, and sometimes for its more flamboyant or colorful sequences. Scenes where Foxx’s character performs, interacts with jurors, or delivers speeches are standout. The direction leans into that tension between theatricality and seriousness. Vanity Fair+2The Guardian+2
Limitations / Criticisms
No film is perfect, and The Burial is no exception. Some of the criticisms include:
- Predictability / Familiar Tropes
Some reviewers pointed out that while the David vs Goliath setup is compelling, many beats are familiar: the flashy lawyer who must grow, the courtroom showdown, the triumph of truth, and so on. Parts of the film follow the standard formula of legal dramas. The Guardian+2Cinemablend+2 - Depth / Underutilised characters
Some supporting characters might not be as deeply developed as they could be. While Willie Gary and Jeremiah O’Keefe get much of the attention, others (for example the opposing counsel, or the inner workings of the corporation) are less textured. The Guardian+1 - Legal Accuracy / Dramatic license
As is common with courtroom movies, certain legal procedures are simplified, dramatized, or altered for narrative effectiveness. Some viewers and critics have noted that certain moments stretch plausibility or simplify complex legal issues. Reddit+2Reddit+2 - Tone balance
Blending serious social commentary with courtroom drama and comedic or flamboyant moments is difficult. Sometimes the shifts can feel abrupt, or the comedy feels like it undermines gravity. A few reviews note that moments meant for levity occasionally undercut tension. The Guardian+1
The Real Case & Adaptation
It is based on a real case. The original story comes from a 1999 New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr, which detailed O’Keefe’s lawsuit against the Loewen Group. Wikipedia+1
Some facts in the movie are adapted, compressed, fictionalized, or dramatized to serve narrative flow (e.g. some conversations, timing, character events). The film uses these liberties, but remains relatively faithful to the core of the real-life conflict. TIME+1
One example: the amount awarded by the jury in the movie is large (in the hundreds of millions), with real-life aspects of appeal and reduction of award covered in the epilogue. Collider+2Wikipedia+2
Jamie Foxx’s Place in This Film & His Career
For Jamie Foxx, this role represents several significant things:
- It returns him to his strengths: charismatic showmanship, emotional range, ability to carry big moments. Many critics have noted this is among his best recent performances. Rotten Tomatoes+1
- It lets him play a real, dynamic person, with flaws, ego, moral weight. It’s not a caricature. This gives Foxx space to do more than just “flashy big lawyer”; there is subtlety.
- It adds to his filmography of socially relevant / biographical roles (e.g. Ray, Just Mercy). The Burial fits into that tradition though with more legal drama + underdog fight rather than biographical epic.
Structure, Direction, Style
Maggie Betts’ direction is noteworthy. She (and co-writer Doug Wright) struck a balance between delivering an accessible, crowd-pleasing story and confronting real social issues. The film is paced for mainstream appeal: it introduces characters clearly, lays out the conflict, builds tension in court, allows for emotional moments, humor, and ultimately a climax. The Guardian+3thehindu.com+3Vanity Fair+3
The music score by Michael Abels supports the emotional heft and atmosphere. The setting (mid-1990s, Mississippi etc.), visuals, costume design, courtroom set pieces are crafted so as to evoke the era and locale while allowing Foxx’s flamboyant style to contrast with more restrained surroundings. Wikipedia+1
Impact & Reception
Critics have generally responded well. On Rotten Tomatoes, The Burial has a high approval rating (roughly 92%), suggesting most reviews are positive. Rotten Tomatoes+2Wikipedia+2
Audience reception is also favourable — many praise it as entertaining, emotionally resonant, well-acted. Foxx is singled out as a highlight. Some criticisms come mostly from viewers more sensitive to legal realism or expectation for more nuanced depictions, but even many of those praise the film’s heart and its ability to engage. Reddit+1
In terms of its significance, The Burial contributes to a resurgence (or at least continued interest) in courtroom dramas that aren’t just about law, but about issues of justice, race, corporate accountability, etc. It also helps keep alive the tradition of “truth-based” legal dramas that use real cases to illuminate wider issues.
Why The Burial Matters
- It reminds audiences that legal battles aren’t always about criminal law or sensational cases; contract disputes, business law, regulatory pressures are just as significant in how they affect ordinary people.
- It shows that entertainment can and perhaps should include stories of worker rights, small business owners, racial injustice that are less visible.
- Jamie Foxx’s performance, and the film’s willingness to embrace both spectacle and seriousness, make it more widely accessible. Not just a niche legal drama; one that can reach mainstream audiences.
- The film also prompts reflection: how often do powerful corporations act in ways that exploit legal technicalities, how vulnerable people (especially marginalized or community-rooted owners) are to such injustice, and how much courage, strategy, and personality it takes to stand up.
Conclusion
The Burial is a polished, engaging, and emotionally satisfying film that successfully tells a real story with enough dramatic weight to make it more than just a “based on true events” courtroom movie. Jamie Foxx gives a strong, energetic, charismatic performance as Willie E. Gary, embodying both the bravado and moral seriousness needed. While the movie has some of the usual legal-drama tropes and is not without simplifications or predictability, it largely succeeds in what it attempts: to entertain, to provoke some thought, and to show that sometimes justice, though hard won, is possible.
If you enjoy legal dramas, stories about underdogs, or films that deal with race, power, legacy, this one is well worth watching. It may not break entirely new ground in form, but it uses its material well, and Jamie Foxx is a major reason it works.
