I think, to many southerners like myself, the story told in the movie Free State of Jones was part of a hidden history. Growing up this stuff was omitted from our collective education. It's not hard to see why. It's a very ugly and insidious part of history. It's our nations most terrible war from which healing has been extremely longstanding even still 150 years on. However, to achieve a freedom from future tyranny I'd say the movie's timetable works. The time is right because what lingers needs the transparency that allows a fuller healing through the art of the story told. To never repeat the mistakes of the past we must learn, and that involves honesty.So, here we have a very different Civil War drama based on actual events. Instead of centering on great battles it explores the human drama that corrupt elements rather than any particular battle caused. While it's certainly true crimes were committed on both sides, the desperate elements operating within the Confederate movement were particularly ominous. Illegal conscription and seizing of property from those without a voice ran rampant. This is a climate which created many a defection, and here a subversive movement.Newton Knight was turned in an instant and it galvanized what would follow. Knight's defection from the Confederate Army results in his spearheading a group of slaves and small farmers to secede from the Confederacy and form a "Free State of Jones" This is a powerful story which cost many lives ultimately prevailing when the Union won the war. Though it prevailed, the freedom it was promised was slow to come. Afterwards, even with new constitutional rights granted, norms were steeped in old traditions. A messy time for sure which was purposely written out of the collective history. I think this movie serves the basics well without getting mired in diatribes of moralities. Even with the story's slow pace the viewer gets a powerful history lesson. The characters ring true and their life and death struggle is eloquently unraveled.Not since Matthew McConaughey came on the scene in the movie "A Time To Kill" has he had a more important role. I think it's one of his, if not his best, performance. He's not so much acting as inhabiting a man whose voice was silenced long ago. He carries that voice to a whole new generation and it speaks volumes. Perhaps the movie is a bit slow paced and long, even using the clunky device of segueing to a much later date's court case at odd times. But, these are small criticisms that do not take away from a forgotten history. The segueing part even reinforces how so much was to take so long to truly change. Overall, a masterfully constructed important story with great period feel and realism. I recommend it for all as it does entertain and enlighten. Yes, this many years on there's still a powerful lesson we should never forget and continue to seek that all important truest expression of freedom so many have given so much for.
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