ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ. is a dramatic thriller set in the underbelly of the overburdened Los Angeles criminal court system. Denzel Washington stars as Roman Israel, a driven, idealistic defense attorney who, through a tumultuous series of events, finds himself in a crisis that leads to extreme action. Colin Farrell costars as the monied, cutthroat lawyer who recruits Roman to his firm.
This seems like a meek and lowkey film but it's remarkably powerful. The script is simple, direct, and well conceived, though I think it could have has a bit more meat to it at times. It's more of an extended character study than anything else. Regardless, it's a clear narrative, but an engaging one, built around a man whose principles have defined his entire life until, after years of sacrifice and deprivation, he finally reaches a breaking point. The moral reckoning gives the story its emotional weight.
This is also exactly the sort of role that suits Colin Farrell. I've often found him naturally adept at playing slick, douchebaggy characters that are difficult to like, and that works perfectly here. The pleasant surprise is watching his character gradually grow into someone more decent, offering an effective counterpoint to Roman's tragic journey.
The cinematography is solid without calling attention to itself. There's nothing particularly artistic or showy about the camera work, but it serves the story well and never distracts from the performances or the themes.
It's an interesting choice for Dan Gilroy to direct this after Nightcrawler. In many ways, the films seem to argue opposite philosophies. Nightcrawler follows a man who abandons morality in pursuit of success and thrives because of it. Roman J. Israel, Esq. takes a completely different route. Whether intentional or not, they make fascinating companion pieces.
This is a thoughtful, understated film anchored by what I consider to be Denzel Washington's greatest performance.
This movie really is as bad as the reviews say. I saw a tiktok that made me wanna watch it and 80% in I was like sleep seems more entertaining.
Denzel was the only thing good about this.
Really superb acting. Really mediocre script.
Reviews
Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Shaydeknight reviewed
Roman J. Israel, Esq.
June 27, 2026This seems like a meek and lowkey film but it's remarkably powerful. The script is simple, direct, and well conceived, though I think it could have has a bit more meat to it at times. It's more of an extended character study than anything else. Regardless, it's a clear narrative, but an engaging one, built around a man whose principles have defined his entire life until, after years of sacrifice and deprivation, he finally reaches a breaking point. The moral reckoning gives the story its emotional weight.
This is also exactly the sort of role that suits Colin Farrell. I've often found him naturally adept at playing slick, douchebaggy characters that are difficult to like, and that works perfectly here. The pleasant surprise is watching his character gradually grow into someone more decent, offering an effective counterpoint to Roman's tragic journey.
The cinematography is solid without calling attention to itself. There's nothing particularly artistic or showy about the camera work, but it serves the story well and never distracts from the performances or the themes.
It's an interesting choice for Dan Gilroy to direct this after Nightcrawler. In many ways, the films seem to argue opposite philosophies. Nightcrawler follows a man who abandons morality in pursuit of success and thrives because of it. Roman J. Israel, Esq. takes a completely different route. Whether intentional or not, they make fascinating companion pieces.
This is a thoughtful, understated film anchored by what I consider to be Denzel Washington's greatest performance.
