"...maybe in the gutter is where we should be"

Rating: 9/10 (22 August 2008)

There has been, throughout cinema history, some difficult, ugly subject matter committed to celluloid. Some subjects have been exploited for entertainment purposes, some of which have been grossly distorted to cheaply enhance the story. Mississippi Burning falls into neither camp, to question this movies subject, is to blindly deny that these atrocities ever took place. Alan Parker's engaging story is both respectful and non-judgemental.
Gene Hackman takes centre stage during a time where he found quality roles difficult to come by, his Rupert Anderson a dogged, experienced veteran Mississippian whose instincts and social skills are essential to the task in hand. Willem Dafoe's young G-man, brash and over-confident brings the authority in an interesting role reversal. McDormand is the heart and humanity, while Brad Dourif looks suitably gleeful despite being the devil (McDormand and Dourif later played husband & wife again in 1991's Hidden Agenda). The rest of the supporting cast are excellent including Gailard Sartain, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Tobin (Jigsaw) Bell and Michael Rooker playing an even more sadistic SOB than Henry Lee Lucas.
The story which does take dramatic licence but never loses it's nerve, held together expertly by Englishman Alan Parker. Parker is a Director who knows how to touch the darker recesses of the human condition. The cinematography is suitably Oscar-worthy. The subject matter may be too rich for some people but at it's core is a superb detective, crime movie that doesn't flinch away from atrocities nor embellish them. Mature, adult film-making at it's very best.