These events bad enough without revisionism...

Rating: 3/10 (29 May 2005)

I am from Mississippi. I lived through these times. Secretly, I did things to help in the voter-registration of Black folks; things you could get killed for, in those days. I know whereof I speak.
Therefore, let me say this: the events this film seeks to depict were bad enough without any inventions. But invent they did. Every local Black person in this movie is noble and a great singer. Their buildings, however, would lead you to believe they couldn't put tin on a roof straight. Why try to improve on facts? Every White person depicted in this film is an idiot. Out-houses in the sixties? KKK ruling the roost in an entire town?
Where are the rich, educated, "landed gentry" who were behind all this violence, encouraging the rednecks with nods and winks? Not in this movie. But I know they exist, because I know some of them...a few who are still living. Mostly it is their children I know, who still feel the same way about Blacks, and still do the same encouraging of White trash.
This film does not show how things really were. It seeks to make things look even worse, to people who don't know any better. It is a terrible story, with moments of good acting from many of the stars. It is the script and the direction that are awful.
What you see in this movie is not true. The truth is far worse.