RELIGION, DRAMA

A recently widowed lawyer finds refuge in the companionship of an old friend. After a session with a medium, he discovers soul is immortal and, therefore, murder is an impossibility. However, when he tries to put this knowledge into practice by defending a homeless man on court, he wakes up deadly dangers he didn’t know existed.

FAIR

THIRD PERSON

Authors Writing Style: GOOD

Characterization: GOOD

Commerciality: FAIR

Franchise Potential: FAIR

Pace: GOOD

Premise: FAIR

Structure: GOOD

Theme: FAIR

Yes, it is accurate, even though the Development Pitch, an important part of the document, is missing.

The personal drama of the protagonist, who has recently lost his wife of a lifetime, reflecting the author's own tragedy.

Despite the author's qualities, there were some problems with the premise, which does not sound very credible even within the narrative, let alone in the real world.

THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS

The protagonist's drama and his attempt to reverse an ancient judicial system due to the discovery of the immortality of the soul.

A film adaptation would certainly attract the attention of an audience more focused on religious themes. However, there must be a greater investment in the development of the narrative and the premise, so that the result is really satisfactory.

As it is now, considering some of the contradictions in the narrative, it is difficult to imagine an adaptation winning Awards. There would have to be major changes for this to happen.

LOW BUDGET

WHAT DREAMS MAY COME - ONE MAN’S JOURNEY TO SAVE HIS WIFE’S SOUL IN THE AFTERLIFE. JUST MERCY - A LAWYER TRIES TO PROVE THE INNOCENCE OF A BLACK MAN ACCUSED OF MURDER, DESPITE AMPLE EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY

The idea that the existence of life after death may interfere with our judicial system is quite original. However, the development of this premise is flawed and its complexities aren’t thoroughly explored, resulting in a book that does not have the impact it should or could.

The lead character is an honorable man, who, despite his great loss, managed to find love again and a noble reason to keep on living.

Not a rare gem. There is some potential in the narrative, but, as it is developed, it doesn't sound credible enough and the main idea has inconsistencies that end up undermining the impact of the story.

Film - Streaming, Film - Indie

WORK IN PROGRESS

While the story has many positive points, it has room for improvement (see possible paths below). If you can't change the story at this point, my suggestion is using your notes as a guide to highlight the best aspects of it when taking the next steps, either putting a pitch page together, a treatment, or a presentation.

Although the book has literary qualities and the first-time author has demonstrated a great aptitude for writing, especially in his first effort, the changes necessary for a successful adaptation of the book must be complex and profound. This is the case because the work's biggest problem is its premise, which sounds incoherent and unreal. As a consequence, the whole narrative needs to be rethought. The main arguments put forward to defend the thesis that the crime of murder does not exist should gain more padding and depth. Many things happen too quickly, leaving no time for accurate reflection. Perhaps the best answer is to poke at the judicial system as a whole, its punitive view and the question of the consequences of criminal acts. However, even the defense presented by the lawyer in the plot does not sound very credible, since the question of the immortality of the soul is highly relevant in society, has been discussed and explored for centuries and is not even proven by any of the evidences that the character presents in court. In addition to all this difficult issue, there is also a big problem with the way the characters treat the accused of the crime, a homeless person who is seen by many in the plot as less than a human being. They even think that he would be better off in prison, without his freedom, because at least he could eat every day. This argument sounds like prejudice and, again, it can have a negative impact on the audience, especially because it lacks depth and compassion when it comes to representing this person. The main problems of the book are these and, although they are not many, they should represent a great challenge for an audiovisual adaptation, since they are at the heart of the whole narrative.