This film is based on Thurgood Marshall, who was the first African American Supreme Court Justice. Directed by Reginald Hudlin, this 2017 film takes a snapshot of Marshall’s life when he represents Joseph Spell in the trial of State of Connecticut v. Joseph Spell.
Based on real life events of Thurgood Marshall, this biopic takes place in 1940-1941 during the trial of Joseph Spell, a black man who has been accused of having raped a white woman. Spell is represented by NAACP lawyer Marshall and local insurance lawyer Sam Friedman.
When interviewed by Nell Minow, Hudlin stated, “I’ve always been a huge admirer of the man, and I always felt that his place in American history should be higher.” Rather than telling the story of the Brown v. Board of Education, Hudlin chose to highlight a lesser-known case of Marshall’s. Hudlin further stated, “But to start earlier with a case you don’t know, with an outcome you don’t know, with all the lower tabloid TMZ-esque qualities—it is going back in time but maybe with more contemporary themes.”
The casting of this film is beyond stellar. Chadwick Boseman headlines the film, with a strong performance as Thurgood Marshall. Josh Gad portrays Friedman, the small insurance lawyer that realizes his abilities over the course of the film. Sterling K. Brown also gives an incredible performance as Joseph Spell. Other stars include Kate Hudson as Eleanor Strubing and James Cromwell as Judge Foster.
The cinematography in this film was good, but the lighting stood out to me more than anything. Tom Sigel was the cinematographer and maintained strong, natural lighting throughout the film. The costume design was also phenomenal, done by iconic costume designer Ruth E. Carter.
Overall, I rate this film 4/5. If you are a fan of courtroom films or biopics, I would highly recommend watching it. Marshall (2017) is available to stream on Max and to purchase on AppleTV.
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