Jamie Foxx Tells Tommy Lee Jones 'You're a Fighter' in Powerful Clip from “The Burial ”(Exclusive)

Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones and Alan Ruck star in 'The Burial,' in select theaters Friday and on Prime Video Oct. 13

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

The movie tells the true story of Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe (Jones), a Mississippi funeral home operator who hires a flashy personal injury attorney Willie Gary (Foxx) to help him sue a major Canadian corporation, the Loewen Group, for breach of contract, claiming they aim to put the squeeze on small businesses.

The modern David-and-Goliath tale features strong performances from Oscar winners Foxx, 55, and Jones, 76, whose characters bond while battling the corporate giant and its CEO, Ray Loewen (Bill Camp).

In a scene shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Gary — who was born to poor Florida sharecroppers and worked his way to becoming so successful he was featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous — and O’Keefe have a frank discussion about battling the odds.

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

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

“Cause he tried to mess with the one thing that means the most to me in life: being able to leave something behind for my children and my grandchildren when I go,” O’Keefe responds. “They have a legacy, Willie, and I do mean to pass it on to ‘em.”

Though the subject matter is serious, there are plenty of light moments in the movie, including a singalong to “Feels Good” by the R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!

Related: Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones Go to Court in 'The Burial' Trailer

“I had a lot of fun working with Jamie," Jones told PEOPLE before the SAG-AFTRA strike. “He's fun to be around, and every work day was highly energized. We did a lot of laughing, and some pretty good work got done too.”

Foxx was ideal for playing 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 multifaceted persona to the screen," said Betts.

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

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“The film is triumphant and inspiring and will leave audiences laughing, cheering and feeling deeply," she said.

Also starring in The Burial, which is based on a New Yorker article, are Succession’s Alan Ruck and Lovecraft Country’s Jurnee Smollett.

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

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