Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones team up for the upcoming drama The Burial, a modern David-and-Goliath tale based on a true story. In the film, Foxx plays Willie Gary, a flashy personal injury attorney, while Jones portrays Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe, a Mississippi funeral home operator. The story revolves around O’Keefe hiring Gary to sue the Loewen Group, a major Canadian corporation, for breach of contract, alleging they are harming small businesses.
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The movie features strong performances from Foxx and Jones, who form a bond while taking on the corporate giant and its CEO, Ray Loewen, played by Bill Camp.
In an exclusive scene shared with PEOPLE, Gary and O’Keefe engage in a frank discussion about their determination to fight against the odds.
“You’re a fighter,” O’Keefe, a married father of 13 children, tells his attorney.
“I’m a fighter,” Gary agrees. “You are too, Jer, you’re a fighter, man. What made you want to do it?”
“Cause he tried to mess with the one thing that means the most to me in life: being able to leave something behind for my children and my grandchildren when I go,” O’Keefe responds. “They have a legacy, Willie, and I do mean to pass it on to ‘em.”
Despite the serious subject matter, The Burial offers moments of levity, including a singalong to “Feels Good” by the R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!
Led by Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones, the cast also includes Mamoudou Athie, Jurnee Smollett, Bill Camp, Dorian Missick, Amanda Warren, Pamela Reed, and Jim Klock. The Burial will be in select theaters on October 6 before streaming globally on Prime Video on October 13.
Directed by Maggie Betts and written by Doug Wright, the film is based on a 1992 article of the same name by Jonathan Harr, originally published in The New Yorker. The article delves into a contractual dispute case between funeral home executive Ray Loewen and Mississippi businessman Jeremiah O’Keefe, leading to O’Keefe hiring the flamboyant attorney Willie Gary. The jury eventually awards O’Keefe a staggering $500 million, resulting in Loewen’s company’s financial downfall.
Jamie Foxx not only stars in The Burial but also co-produces it alongside Amazon Studios, Bobby Shriver Inc., and Double Nickel Entertainment. The production team includes Datari Turner, Bobby Shriver, Adam Richman, and Jenette Kahn, who will be bringing this captivating story to life.
“We’re happy to get the kind of money that jingles, but we’d rather get the kind that folds.” – Lisa, Coming to America
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