Roman J. Israel, Esq.

About Roman J. Israel, Esq.

"Roman J. Israel, Esq." is a 2017 American legal drama film written and directed by Dan Gilroy. The film explores the life of Roman J. Israel, a driven defense attorney who, after his law firm's head passes away, gets embroiled in a turbulent series of events that lead to a crisis and the necessity for extreme action.

Making / Production

The movie was produced by Jennifer Fox, Todd Black, and Denzel Washington, and is a Columbia Pictures presentation. Dan Gilroy, who also directed Nightcrawler, brings to life a compelling character study with Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Actors

• Denzel Washington as Roman Israel, carries the movie with a characteristically strong performance as a diligent yet eccentric lawyer.
• Colin Farrell as George Pierce, provides a compelling portrayal of a savvy, pragmatic lawyer who is initially dismissive of Roman's idealistic views.
• Carmen Ejogo as Maya Alston, plays the role of a civil rights activist who is admirably unyielding in the face of societal pressure, and is captivated by Roman's commitment to his ideals.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was originally going to be titled "Inner City".
• Director Dan Gilroy and lead actor Denzel Washington decided to not rehearse before shooting scenes in order to capture the spontaneity of the character's actions.

Awards

Denzel Washington was nominated for Best Actor at the 90th Academy Awards, his ninth nomination, making him the most nominated black actor in the history of the Academy.

Quotes

• "I'm tired of doing the impossible for the ungrateful." - Roman J. Israel, Esq.
• "Each of us is better than the worst thing we ever done." - Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Music, Soundtrack

• James Newton Howard composed the film's original score.
• The film features songs like "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" by Bobby "Blue" Bland and "Down by the Riverside" by Sister Rosetta Tharpe.