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Roman J. Israel, Esq.

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Roman J. Israel, Esq. is a 2017 American legal drama film that tells a story about a civil-rights advocate and defense attorney who is caught in a tumultuous series of events that lead to a personal crisis and the necessity for extreme action.

Directed by Dan Gilroy; Produced by Denzel Washington, Todd Black and Jennifer Fox; Written by Dan Gilroy
Each of us is better than the worst thing we ever did

Roman J. Israel, Esq.

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  • [reading the first lines of the movie] "Case #00-00001: Supreme Court of Absolute Universal Law, Los Angeles Division. Roman J. Israel, Esq., petitioner, versus himself, defendant. Notice: To permanently disbar Roman J. Israel, Esq. from the California Bar and Human Race for being a hypocrite and turning his back on everything he ever claimed to actually stand for. Statement of the case: For 26 years, defendant/plaintiff has been employed in the Law Office of William Henry Jackson, a two-person, criminal defense firm in the city of Los Angeles. During that time, defendant/plaintiff's duties centered on drafting briefs, motions and pleadings, thereby allowing principal partner William Henry Jackson to focus his attention on court appearances. This work relationship was disrupted three weeks ago, initiating a chain of events leading to the gross moral, ethical and criminal misconduct of Roman J. Israel, Esq. and forming the basis for the above-mentioned request for immediate and summary judgment."
  • We are formed of frailty and error. Let us pardon reciprocally each other's follies. That is the first law of nature.
  • [repeated phone call] Hello? Yeah. Yeah, of course I remember you. That's why I gave you my card.
  • The real enemies aren't the ones on the outside, they're on the inside.
  • You know, all those years of practicing, scouring law books, achieving technical triumphs through loopholes and ambiguities, none of which were adequate to save me from the reality of my present situation. Then today, in the middle of nowhere, lost, I had a revelation; an insight so sweeping, so clear. It's me George. See, I didn't see it before because I never experienced the other side. I'm the defendant and the plaintiff simultaneously. I file against myself, I represent myself, I convict myself, hereby expanding the full scope of the legal desert, because the judgment's built in. The only thing left is forgiveness and I grant that to myself. An act doesn't make the person guilty unless the mind is guilty as well.

Dialogue

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Roman J. Israel, Esq.: What do you have on number 32? Langston Bailey?
Melina Nassour: [reads the Bailey's file] This says William Jackson's his lawyer.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Well, Mr. Jackson had a heart attack this morning. I'm Roman Israel, his partner.
Melina Nassour: I didn't know Jackson had a partner.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Well, I don't have the, uh, patience for the butchery that occurs here. Mr. Jackson does.
Melina Nassour: You want a continuance?
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: hat bail you offering?
Melina Nassour: No bail, and he pleas to count one. I'll tell the judge and request a minimum five years. He's facing 15 at trial.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: For a 17-year-old breaking and entering? Hell, why don't we just get it over with and shoot him?
Melina Nassour: That's the offer. Do what you gotta do.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Offer doesn't really, I mean... He's not taking top plea. I can tell you that. You're already overcharging him. L-Let's talk about mitigating circumstances.
Melina Nassour: He was caught wearing a T-shirt with a gang symbol.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Like the flag pin on your lapel.
Melina Nassour: Five years. That's as low as the People will go.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: People? What people? There's no people. There's just you making a bullshit career-climbing offer. Come on, let's admit it.
Melina Nassour: Present it to your client.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: His name is Langston. He's a high school junior in good standing. Plays on the soccer team. All of this despite that his father's in jail. His mother is in drug treatment. And due to a legion of forces beyond his control, he joined a gang for acceptance, family, and protection. He has one prior minor offense. Each one of us is greater than the worst thing we've ever done. Deep bows.
Melina Nassour: Please, talk to your client.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: My conviction rate's 100 percent.
George Pierce: Roman, Roman! Jesus, I heard about what you did in the kitchen. Salinas is our number two. And not only that, while you were schooling Sanchez in a crowded elevator...
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: Hey, the man doesn't understand character evidence.
George Pierce: You'll find a quiet corner. I sent you an e-mail today to come to my office.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: I'm sorry, when people send e-mail, they seem to think it goes straight to your brain.
George Pierce: You better take what I'm saying seriously, because I'm being very sincere with you.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: I think you knew what you were getting when you brought me in, George.
George Pierce: I thought you were functional.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: I think you brought me in to put your feet to the fire 'cause you're tired of treating low-income clients like dollar signs, and maybe because you remember what it feels like to actually care. That's what I think, George.
George Pierce: Hell no, I hired you to make a buck. Which is why I thought you took the job.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.: I need money. [chuckles dryly] Badly. Of course. But what I really need, George, is an ally. I've been waiting to meet someone of your high caliber, and yes, I am selective. So what I'm offering to you, right out here, now, is the chance to partner with me. On a piece of groundbreaking litigation I've been working on for over seven years now. Inside this case, is arguably the most important legal brief in modern legal history. A sweeping federal challenge that could yield nothing less than a grand new era of social reform, and I say that with all due confidence. The constitution guarantees us the right to a fair trial, but there can't be any fairness is ninety-five percent of all cases never get heard. Criminal cases never get heard by a jury or a judge. I am building a wholly original class action lawsuit with over thirty-five hundred names, all former clients, aimed at the heart of-of-of plea bargain reform. I'm talking about reforming the system where prosecutors are trying to pull sentences out of their hat, where actual guilt or innocence is being completely replaced by fear of having your day in court. Where people are being forced... George, to plead guilty, under the threat of overly harsh, and coercive sentences. It's a job for a legend, or someone who wants to be one.

Cast

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