The Drama: A Marriage of Discomfort and Empathy
This is not a film, it’s a drop tower. A drop tower that you don’t get off of for the vast majority of its 106-minute runtime.

Carol feels, for whatever reason, that her husband, John, has grown indifferent to her, and is on a quest to find out why, suspecting another woman. She sees the family physician, Dr. Swope, first and then hires a private detective. Her own sleuthing is more effective and she devises a plan; having long been pursued by Eric, she apparently accedes and accompanies him to an apartment and, per her plan, enter the wrong one. There, they find Carol's best friend, Charlotte, and John hiding in a closet. The latter, showing more nerve than good sense, goes into a rage and berates Carol for her apparent philandering. The battle continues at home, where their daughter Janet informs them that because of them, she and Paul have given up on the idea of marriage, but are going away together, anyway. Carol and John trail them to a hotel and find them in twin beds, whereupon John, armed with a fire-ax, summons a justice of the peace and demands a fire-ax version of a shotgun wedding.
This is not a film, it’s a drop tower. A drop tower that you don’t get off of for the vast majority of its 106-minute runtime.
In all actuality, “Just Mercy” should be labeled a “wall punching narrative.” Constantly, the flick throws high forms of adversity our way, amping up our most inner levels of discomfort. Filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton wonderfully paces the film in such a way that replicates the slow-burn nature of justice.
2026 ranks highest in Oscars history for its representation of minorities in all categories, and that’s definitely something to be celebrated.
Passing is a visually stunning portrayal of Larsen's story with an inclusive cast, and the performances of Thompson and Negga are sensational.
The plot could’ve really been interesting if the elements of lycanthropy was integrated with perhaps the struggle of identity of being LGBTQ+. It's an experience for so many that as they’re starting to realizing their true selves, they feel like a monster, especially if they come from unsupportive homes or communities. Instead, the horror and transformation elements seem thrown in without contemplation of how this could deepen the narrative.
The re-living of this historic trial through this film is relevant to current politics and disturbingly enjoyable to watch due to the excellent performances from the ensemble cast. If you like a juicy courtroom drama, this film will definitely scratch that itch in a really chilling manner.