If you haven’t accepted that Denzel Washington is one of the greatest leading men ever then perhaps you need to admit yourself into some kind institution where you can get some help, because that man is a god. He turned in one of his best performances ever with FENCES last year, and now he’s back in the lead actor race again with ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ., the story of a defense attorney who finds himself dealing with unsavory characters when a series of events force him to challenge his beliefs and activist roots. The first trailer is here, and you can watch Washington own the screen with glasses as big as his hair, and a personality as uncompromising as it humorous. Did I say he was a god already?
Denzel is being considered a frontrunner for a Best Actor nomination here, but unfortunately, the movie did not receive high marks coming out of TIFF. The movie stands at a 53% on RT, with critics saying Denzel is a shining spot in a so-so movie that’s not as good as director/writer Dan Gilroy’s NIGHTCRAWLER. But the film looks entertaining at the least, and Denzel remains a reliable presence at the box office and ISRAEL could click with audiences in a way it hasn’t with critics (so far).
ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ. hits theaters November 3.