*”The Burial” may occupy new space in the Amazon Prime universe, but old issues are present in the film, literally and figuratively.

Thanks to Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones (in their respective lead roles), those issues show we all struggle to get a grip on how to thrive and survive without being knocked down to square one. In other words, life in today’s Internet, inflation-priced, social media, and politicized world is tough.

Getting to the top of the mountain is a rough climb.

Yet we all want to be remembered in some form and not forgotten. Our Legacy is priceless for capturing the very thing we want folks to think of when our name is mentioned. Good or bad, that legacy is defined by choices we make, and things are done to cement that final and lasting view we spend a life building.

Looking at “The Burial,” you may see and feel a couple of things. Ok, more than a couple. But who’s counting? The thing that stands out, among others, is the other L-word. It is that word that centers this film, which stars Oscar winners Foxx and Jones.

Jones’ Jeremiah ‘Jerry’ O’Keefe has legacy in mind when he becomes the victim of a contract deal that went south. As a result, Jerry’s funeral home, a longtime fixture in the community, is in danger of losing its owner. An owner who wants nothing more than to keep its history alive by passing it down to the next generation of O’Keefe’s.

While his longtime lawyer and friend Mike Arnold (Alan Ruck) could be an easy go-to, Jerry takes a different turn and enlists flamboyant attorney Willie Gary (Foxx) at the urging of his assistant Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) and personally sees Willie in action.

The fact that Willie, his team, and Hal are black opens a new realm in “The Burial” that expands with opposing counsel and further developments. Led by Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollett), a top black lawyer who also carries an all-black team and an all-business, stay-ready mentality, she gives Willie a true sparring partner within the legal ring.

Their back and forth in and out of the proceedings felt more like watching a chess match between players who carry the same motivation but different ways to get checkmate for their respective clients. Both are good and can maneuver to their advantage. It’s just the way they handle their business that makes the match one to watch. Especially when Willie’s 12-year undefeated streak is in real danger of being broken from handling a case that finds him in a position where he is not taking the lead, something he hasn’t experienced.

Willie may mostly be flash (with his big jet, stylish wardrobe, and smooth talk), but seeing him confront possibly losing and not living up to the hype puts a human face on a larger-than-life personality. After all, the fear of failing is very real if it results in your first ‘L’ in a very long time. Add interaction with Willie’s mom outside and at the dinner table with Jerry, and you have a glimpse into the person he was before the glamor and boasting took over.

Family and legacy. Remember those things.

They may be Jerry’s foundation for his fight against the company that screwed him, but it also grounds Willie enough to put his client before his selfishness in genuinely seeking true justice. Not a headline.

Like many lawyer films, a bond forms between attorney and client. They seem unlikely, but the bond with Jerry and Willie is golden. Especially when Tony Toni Tone via classic hit song (and Willie’s jam) “Feels Good” starts playing.

No doubt, there are levels to “The Burial.” A few laughs to be had amid points to think about. Foxx and Jones deliver, as do Smollett and her fellow supporting cast members.

A person’s legacy carries more weight the longer you remain on Planet Earth. When that legacy is clearly seen, will it reflect the true you and your lifetime? Or will it only be a picture of what was and could’ve been?

Family and legacy. Let those sink in.

“The Burial” is currently streaming on Prime Video.

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