{"id":1822,"date":"2017-10-10T15:59:50","date_gmt":"2017-10-10T22:59:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=1822"},"modified":"2017-10-10T15:59:50","modified_gmt":"2017-10-10T22:59:50","slug":"marshall-sleek-legal-drama-with-great-performances-and-excellent-screenplay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2017\/marshall-sleek-legal-drama-with-great-performances-and-excellent-screenplay\/","title":{"rendered":"Marshall \u2013 Sleek Legal Drama With Great Performances and Excellent Screenplay"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1823 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Marshall.poster-203x300.jpg?resize=203%2C300\" alt=\"\" width=\"203\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Marshall.poster.jpg?resize=203%2C300&amp;ssl=1 203w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Marshall.poster.jpg?w=675&amp;ssl=1 675w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 203px) 100vw, 203px\" \/>Young Thurgood Marshall faces one of his greatest challenges while working as a lawyer for the NAACP. Marshall travels to conservative Connecticut when wealthy socialite Eleanor Strubing accuses black chauffeur Joseph Spell of sexual assault and attempted murder. He soon teams up with Sam Friedman,\u00a0a local Jewish lawyer who&#8217;s never handled a criminal case. Together, the two men build a defense while contending with racist and anti-Semitic views from those who deem Spell to be guilty. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Benjamin P. comments, \u201cDon\u2019t be fooled by the snazzy vintage costumes, the real heart of <em>Marshall<\/em><em>\u2019s<\/em> success is its screenplay and the chemistry between its lead actors.\u201d See his full review below.<\/p>\n<p>Marshall<br \/>\nBy Benjamin P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12<\/p>\n<p><em>Marshall<\/em> is a sleek legal drama with great performances from Chadwick Boseman as the title character and Josh Gad. Don\u2019t be fooled by the snazzy vintage costumes, the real heart of <em>Marshall<\/em><em>\u2019s<\/em> success is its screenplay and the chemistry between its lead actors.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/w6DQIX3GQj8?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>This film follows pioneering Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-1824\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.f-300x200.jpg?resize=203%2C135\" alt=\"\" width=\"203\" height=\"135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.f.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.f.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.f.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.f.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 203px) 100vw, 203px\" \/>in his earlier years as a lawyer for the NAACP. A white socialite in Greenwich, Connecticut, accuses a black man of rape and attempted murder. The NAACP believes the man, Joseph Spell, is innocent and sends Marshall to defend him. Marshall enlists local lawyer Sam Friedman (Josh Gad) whose previous track record involves tax or insurance cases. Friedman worries about his family\u2019s safety due to the unrest the controversial trial causes. Sam and Thurgood must work together to defend Spell\u2026and each other.<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1828 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.c-300x200.jpg?resize=198%2C132\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.c.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.c.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.c.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.c.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This film is very good and so is its screenplay. The touches of comedy bring a welcome balance to its serious topic and difficult history. There is an array of good lines for Boseman and Gad. Several other actors get a chance to shine as well. I appreciate that <em>Marshall<\/em> takes its subjects seriously, but doesn\u2019t take on a dreary tone doing it. The scenes in the courtroom are intense and keep you interested in the action. As the case develops, these scenes get more and more engaging.<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-1829\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.b-300x200.jpg?resize=201%2C134\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"134\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.b.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.b.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.b.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.b.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>While Boseman is very good as Thurgood Marshall, his performance is disappointing considering how hyped his portrayal has been in the film\u2019s ad campaign. He gives Marshall a suave personality but the script limits his ability to show off his range and really take the character on a journey. On the other hand, Josh Gad is a standout as Sam Friedman. He plays to his comedic strengths as Marshall\u2019s sidekick while also giving a genuinely good dramatic performance as a central and evolved character. He is a nice foil to Boseman and their chemistry <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1827 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.aa_-300x200.jpg?resize=200%2C133\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.aa_.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.aa_.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.aa_.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/marshall.aa_.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>reminds me of a buddy cop comedy.<\/p>\n<p>The lesson I take from the film is that you have to follow your moral compass even when it\u2019s hard. Sam\u2019s unwillingness to join the case makes sense. He is just starting out and worried that it could ruin his reputation. The fact that he does it anyway is a testament to the person Friedman must have been in real life.<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>Marshall<\/em> an age rating of 14 to 18 because of some racial and offensive language and suggestive and violent content, including depictions of the alleged assault. And my verdict on <em>Marshall<\/em>? 4 out of 5 stars. <em>Marshall<\/em> opens in theaters on October 13<sup>, <\/sup>2017 so go check it out.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Young Thurgood Marshall faces one of his greatest challenges while working as a lawyer for the NAACP. Marshall travels to conservative Connecticut when wealthy socialite Eleanor Strubing accuses black chauffeur Joseph Spell of sexual assault and attempted murder. He soon teams up with Sam Friedman,\u00a0a local Jewish lawyer who&#8217;s never handled a criminal case. Together, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film-reviews"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-to","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1822"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1822\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1832,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1822\/revisions\/1832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}