Really, A Journal for Jordan. You had us at, “Starring Michael B. Jordan.” Then you went ahead and added, “Directed by Denzel Washington.” And then you had to go ahead and lump all of that emotion on top of us in the first official trailer for this heartstring puller? And it drops ON CHRISTMAS?! There simply aren’t enough tissues in the world. Check out the first official trailer for Washington’s directorial effort, A Journal for Jordan, in the video above.
As you can tell, the “Journal” that is referenced in the title A Journal for Jordan, refers to a diary that a father (Michael B. Jordan) leaves for his newborn son. Why is he not able to convey all of his wisdom in person? Because the worst possible outcome occurred for First Sergeant Charles Monroe King. He was killed by a roadside bomb while serving our military overseas in Iraq.
The movie A Journal for Jordan is based on the New York Times bestseller of the same name that was written by King’s widow, and Jordan’s mother, Dana Canedy. And once you hear her credentials, you will understand why studios fought so hard to bring her family’s story to the screen. Canedy was a senior editor at the New York Times who also was part of a reporting team that won a Pulitzer Prize. She also held the position of Senior Vice President and Publisher of Simon & Schuster. Needless to say, Canedy knows that makes a good story, and the elements appear to be here in the trailer for A Journal for Jordan.
Denzel Washington’s last directorial effort, the 2016 drama Fences, showed his ability to bring a Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play to the screen, while also keeping tight focus on the powerful performances of his lead actors (in that case, himself and Viola Davis). It means something that Washington chose A Journal for Jordan as a script he wanted to direct, and it’s electric to think of just how good Michael B. Jordan might be able to be under the guidance of Washington, one of the greatest actors of our generation. Imagine the work that Denzel is pulling out of MBJ? We need to see this, instantly.
And then, the other intriguing element is the reliance on a relative newcomer in Chante Adams in the pivotal role of Dana Canedy. It feels like a role that several actresses would have fought to obtain, so we’re eager to see what chemistry she has with Jordan to sell the relationship that needs to be the backbone of this drama.
The trailer was a good tease. It sets up the heart of the movie, and the gut punch that awaits audiences when they go. In December, we’ll see for ourselves if A Journal for Jordan is the heartwrenching drama you bring your best friend to for a good cry, or if it’s an Oscar contender that will look to have legs in the lengthy awards campaign season. Or both.
