Roman J. Israel, Esq.                        3 stars

Roman J. Israel, Esq. features a wonderful performance by Denzel Washington in a movie that had great potential but falls short in the writing department.  Washington stars as Roman, an idealistic lawyer who is the junior partner in a criminal defense practice when the well-known senior partner is suddenly incapacitated by a heart attack.  Roman may be very talented in how well he knows the law, but suffers from a lack of social skills, like someone who has Asperger’s syndrome.  He gets the chance to work for a first rate lawyer played by Colin Farrell, but takes some convincing before taking on a new role.  I found that I felt for the character who has his flaws but ultimately wants to do the right thing.  The story seemed to wander for a while before it finally turns into a thriller that won’t end well for somebody.  The writer and director, Dan Gilroy could have worked out a more interesting plot before starting the production.  At least two of his earlier works, Nightcrawler and The Bourne Legacy were must more compelling.  The film is also notable for a nice performance by Carmen Ejogo as Maya, a dedicated social activist.  We’ve seen her before in It Comes at Night, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Selma.  Denzel Washington received a well deserved Oscar nomination for this role.  Let’s hope he does even better on his next outing.