Jamie Foxx Tells Tommy Lee Jones ‘You’re a Fighter’ in Powerful Clip from The Burial (Exclusive)

Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones in ‘The Burial’

Jamie Foxx sees Tommy Lee Jones as a kindred spirit in their new drama Burial.

The film tells the true story of Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe (Jones), a Mississippi funeral home operator, who hires flashy personal injury lawyer Willie Gary (Foxx) to help him sue a large Canadian corporation, the Loewen Group, for breach of contract, claiming that is to put pressure on small businesses.

The modern David and Goliath tale features powerful performances from Oscar winners Foxx, 55, and Jones, 76, whose characters bond as they battle the corporate giant and its CEO, Ray Loewen (Bill Camp).

In a scene shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Gary — who was born into a family of poor Florida sharecroppers and worked his way up to become so successful that he was featured on The lifestyle of the rich and famous – and O’Keefe have a candid discussion about fighting disagreements.

“You’re a fighter,” O’Keefe, a married father of 13, tells his lawyer.

Jamie Foxx plays lawyer Willie Gary in ‘The Burial’.

Skip Bolen/Prime

“I’m a fighter,” Gary agrees. “And you are, Jer, you’re a fighter, man. You know why I say you’re a fighter? Going against this big Loewen group, man, a small business owner, man, that’s something, that’s why we connect. What made you do that?”

“Because he tried to mess with the one thing that means the most to me in life: being able to leave something for my children and grandchildren when I’m gone,” O’Keefe replies. “They have an inheritance, Willie, and I intend to pass it on to them.”

Although the subject matter is serious, there are plenty of lighthearted moments in the film, including the song “Feels Good” by the R&B group Tony! Tony! Tone!

Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones Go to Court in ‘The Burial’ Trailer

“It was fun working with Jamie,” Jones told PEOPLE before the SAG-AFTRA strike. “He is fun to be with and every working day was full of energy. We had a lot of laughs and got some pretty good work almost too.”

Foxx was ideal to play Gary, who has a “huge, larger-than-life personality,” director Maggie Betts previously told PEOPLE.

“I knew Jamie had the talent, charisma and range to bring this complex and multi-faceted person to the screen,” said Betts.

Tommy Lee Jones as Jeremiah O’Keefe and Pamela Reed as his wife, Annette, in ‘The Burial’.

Skip Bolen/Prime

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“He was a perfect match for the role, and he brought so much more humanity and vulnerability to the character than I could have ever expected, which, as a director, was very exciting to work with,” she continued.

Foxx called Burial “a great American story” and Betts agreed, telling PEOPLE that “the themes are so universal and I think audiences from all walks of life will find something that resonates with them.”

Tommy Lee Jones and Jamie Foxx in ‘The Burial’.

Skip Bolen/Prime

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“The film is triumphant and inspiring and will make the audience laugh, cheer and feel deeply,” she said.

He also stars in Burialwhich is based on a The New Yorker article, are Successionis Alan Ruck and The Land of Lovecraftis Jurnee Smollett.

Burial is in select theaters on Friday and on Prime Video on October 13.

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Source: HIS Education