Two soldiers, equally scarred by the war, return to their homes in the South, and to their families who await them. Their shared experience bonds them but the colour of their skin keeps them wholly separate. Rural Mississippi sucks the big one.
Jamie McAllan (Garrett Hedlund) goes home to stay with his brother Henry (Jason Clarke) and his new wife Laura (Carey Mulligan), who he basically saved from spinsterhood, because that’s what we call 30 year old unmarried women in the 1940s. The marriage is not exactly a romantic one, but she bears his children and lives in a hovel raising them while putting up with disgustingly judgy side looks from her creepy father in law (Jonathan Banks).
Meanwhile, just down the road, Ronsel (Jason Mitchell) goes back to the shack where his family is eking out a living helping out the McAllans. It’s hard to really 
distinguish between different levels of abject poverty, but there’s no question that the white McAllan family will always be in a better position than the black Jacksons (yeah, I feel weird writing that, so go ahead and feel weird reading it). Ronsel is having trouble adjusting to this country that demands that he risk his life defending it but then will spit in his eye the moment he’s back on American soil. Tough blow.
And Jamie’s only doing nominally better because his budding friendship with Ronsel is particularly irksome to his daddy, who’s a clansman. So yeah, shit gets real. This is not a pretty movie. I didn’t have much of an opinion of Hedlund before this but I found Mudbound to be well-acted: Mulligan, Mitchell, and Mary J. Blige as Mitchell’s mother are stand-outs of course, and Jonathan Banks made me want to spit nails. Into his eyeballs. Or nutsack. Or both. Rusty ones.
This movie says a lot about race and inequality but is largely unsentimental. The setting is sparse but the characters are rich, with great performances fleshing out mudbound existence. Director Dee Rees paints a stark portrait, accurate but not antiquated.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
You are so good, Jay, so good.
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I’d like to see this one. I finally watched the Netflix original Okja last night. SO good!
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Yeah, it wasn’t what I expected but I did love that one as well – kooky but still socially relevant.
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Sounds awful but in a good way.
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Yes, I suppose that’s true. Not a ‘fun’ watch but that doesn’t stop it from being must-see.
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I’ve seen some pretty positive reviews for this one so far, and it is definitely on my list. Looking forward to seeing this one, as always terrific post 😀
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It premiered at TIFF and I hadn’t realized it was a Netflix offering.
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So, good, yeah? Almost watched it the other night. Glad I read your review, Jay.
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Oh yea, that was the tradition. Send them off to war. Then they get to deal with dangerous racism back at “home”. I’d like to think we’ll get this race thing settled one of these days. Then a racist gets elected president…
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Yes, I suppose that’s the most infuriating thing. It might be easier to watch if it was merely ‘history’.
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Great review! This was a very powerful film. Excellent performances all around.
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I’m gonna have to add this one to my list, Jay.
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I wish I had liked this one more. That being said, I didn’t dislike it – just didn’t love it. That whole Europe, especially Germany of all places, being a ‘safe haven’ for African American is a load of…yes..that.. Mary J’s designer sunglasses throughout – just no. But Hedland & Mitchell were quite amazing performances. And I love what you say about Jonathan Banks character.. so true!! I felt the same. 🙂
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Epic movie. Thanks Jay.
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