EXPECTATIONS: Something a little more introspective with its issues.
REVIEW: Over the years, we had gained several films about racism in various genres, like 12 Years a Slave, The Birth of a Nation, I Am Not Your Negro, Get Out and others. While some of these gained critical acclaim, the former two films have come under criticism due to the severity of the violence, which took some of the audience out of the film.
Racism is a definite wrong in the world, so it’s absolutely understandable that it is shown as bluntly as possible, but when the lead characters involved are nothing more than ciphers, without not much character development, it comes across as slightly cheap and the film never truly earns its natural human drama.
Now we have Dee Rees‘ film, Mudbound, a period drama about racism starring a great pool of talent like Carey Mulligan, Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Garrett Hedlund among others; and it has gained fantastic buzz from festivals like Sundance. Will the film avoid the mistake that other films have fallen into or will it succeed over it and live up to the hype?
Laura McAllan (Carey Mulligan) is trying to raise her children on her husband’s Mississippi Delta farm, a place she finds foreign and frightening. In the midst of the family’s struggles, two young men return from the war to work the land.
Jamie McAllan (Garrett Hedlund), Laura’s brother-in-law, is everything her husband Henry (Jason Clarke) is not – charming and handsome, but he is haunted by his memories of combat. Ronsel Jackson (Jason Mitchell), eldest son of the black sharecroppers who live on the McAllan farm, now battles the prejudice in the Jim Crow South.
Going off the synopsis, the seeds of drama are all planted firmly, the potential for genuine human drama is high and the cast and crew are all capable of great things, so does Mudbound live up to the hype?
The answer is a resounding yes. One of the factors that makes Mudbound more successful than its thematic predecessors is its subtlety. Instead on overly relying on violence, director Dee Rees relies more on mood and character to not only get its point across, but to deliver a compelling film.
The main credit goes to cinematographer Rachel Morrison, as she helps create a beautiful look that always has a sense of foreboding that something bad will happen. There are moments of sheer brutality, including a scene that made me wince, but they are relegated to the third act, they have palpable buildup until that point and it never revels in gore or shock tactics.
The story itself feels surprisingly contemporary, despite its period World War II setting, showing that Americans are bound to their place of land, accumulating all of the prides and prejudices that come with it. The storytelling is incredibly balanced, as Rees is able to juggle six lead characters all at once with ease, particularly with the editing by Mako Kamitsuna and with the use of voice-over.
While it could’ve been used lazily to excuse the acting chops of the cast, instead it’s a refreshing way of showing character development and all characters deliver their own, usually contrasting with how they act on the outside eg. Laura’s view on being a housewife despite maintaining the status quo for her husband or how Florence dislikes taking care of Laura’s children, despite showing a positive exterior.
It even gradually reveals more facets about the characters, making them more than just one-dimensional cardboard cutouts as well as thematic symbols of the story. Aside from Johnathan Banks‘ despicable character, none of the characters are portrayed to be morally simplistic, as there are all morally grey, with contradictions that makes them human.
In the case of Laura, she is not portrayed as sadistic nor is she a white saviour. She does lust over another character and yet she is loyal to her husband; she has pointed criticisms towards the land and people she now resides in but she does have empathy and understanding. It is the care and effort towards character that makes Mudbound succeed as much as it does.
But none of it would be effective if it weren’t the actors, who deliver wonderfully nuanced performances. Mulligan unsurprisingly delivers on the facets of her character with aplomb while Hedlund transcends his character of being a charming drunk and adds layers of humanity and turmoil convincingly to his performance. Clarke gives good work, portraying both human decency as well as his prejudice passed down from his father, very well.
Mitchell is fantastic as Ronsel, especially in contrast of his feeling of belonging when he’s at war and his feeling when he comes back to his hometown, brimming with racial tension. Blige and Morgan portray their roles with warmth and brimming tension towards the life they’re living in while Banks is absolutely despicable as his Klan-member character and father of Jamie and Henry.
Much like the characters in the film, the story isn’t all one foreboding mood signalling doom and gloom, but there are fleeting moments of hope, moments of sympathy and empathy between characters and it never feels phony nor unearned, leading towards the optimistic ending that Rees nails.
Overall, Mudbound fixes the problems of similar films having one-dimensional characters and excessive violence used to gain sympathy, with particular attention to character, mood and subtlety and that’s thanks to director Dee Rees and her wonderful cast and crew. Go see the film when it comes out on Netflix.
Quickie Review
PROS
Fantastic performances from its ensemble cast
Efficient storytelling and assured direction from director Dee Rees
Subtle approach to its themes ensure easy approach to character development
Characters are three-dimensional and compelling
CONS
Needed more of Hedlund and Mitchell on-screen together
SCORE: 9/10
This review can be also seen at THE IRIS. Visit the site by pressing the picture above.
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Rob Morgan, Jonathan Banks, Garrett Hedlund
Director: Dee Rees
Screenwriters: Virgil Williams, Dee Rees, based on the novel by Hillary Jordan
