MARSHALL – Rated PG-13 – 1 hr. 58 mins.
Starring Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson and Sterling K. Brown
As we venture into the real-life story of NAACP Civil Rights Lawyer Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman), he has just taken on a case defending black man Joseph Spell (Sterling K Brown), who’s chauffeuring career has gotten him into a bit of trouble with his white employer, Mrs. Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson).
Convinced that once again a black man has been wrongfully accused, Marshall takes the case, but soon finds that the laws in Connecticut will not allow him to defend Spell…forcing Marshall to bring on Jewish Attorney Sam Friedman (Josh Gad) to preside over this case…
Believing in their clients innocence, Friedman and Marshall embark to prove that Spell is not only innocent…he is being railroaded by this rape charge, as there is absolutely no way he could have committed this crime.
As Friedman fights direction from Marshall, not really wanting to be the prosecuting attorney for this case from the start, both attorneys agree to come to an understanding on how they must proceed to best defend Spell, and get him released from jail…
When Spell’s squeaky clean story starts to unravel around the edges, its up to Thurgood Marshall to figure out truth vs. fiction in exactly what happened on that fateful night…proving that he is the best civil rights lawyer in our countries history, bar none!
I give MARSHALL a rating of MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN! This film manages to envelope your psyche in the true-life drama of Thurgood Marshall’s life, and the flawlessly presented nostalgia of the times…and doesn’t let go!!! Boseman is perfectly cast as Civil Rights Lawyer/Leader (and later in his career, first African-American Supreme court Justice) Thurgood Marshall. Taking on a more dramatic roll than usual – Gad was also the ideal selection to play Jewish Lawyer, and future NAACP supporter Sam Friedman. Even Hudson’s performance is noteworthy for her small, but pivotal role within this film. And St. Louis’s own Sterling K Brown’s performance is outstanding as well, as the accused rapist, running from the law, and with a few other indiscretions popping up along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed getting this small glimpse into Thurgood Marshall’s life, and his passion to uphold the rights of his fellow Blacks American’s, many years ago. With that said, MARSHALL is also prophetic with its storyline and timing of release, as much of it’s content still resonates in the trials and tribulations that Black American’s face still now, in our present day society…
Kathy Kaiser
MATINEE CHAT with Kathy Kaiser 