"When I think of the farm, I think of mud."

Rating: 9/10 (1 February 2018)

Overlooked for an Academy Award nomination as Best Picture is a regrettable decision. The film draws you in with it's characters and doesn't let go, even if the subject of racism is an uncomfortable one. The compelling perspective offered by two of the principal characters returning from World War II are almost like two sides of the same coin. Ronsel Jackson (Jason Mitchell), a black man who became a tank commander in the war, is dismayed to find that he's still treated as a non-entity back home after being considered a liberator by people he came across in Europe. His white counterpart, Jamie McAllan (Garrett Hedlund), shell shocked by his near death experience manning a fighter bomber, would have been a dead man if not for a black pilot who came to his rescue in mid air during a German attack. The experience enables Jamie to see the plight of blacks in a new light and allows him to strike up a friendly relationship with Ronsel back home. In so doing, Jamie winds up on the receiving end of treatment almost as vile as that displayed toward Ronsel.
The picture plays out against a backdrop of unrelenting deep South poverty, endured for generations by the Jackson and McAllan families. Interacting with each other as circumstances evolve, the underlying racist sentiment of Jamie's older brother (Jason Clarke) is palpable, while their father Pappy's (Jonathan Banks) hatred constantly roils with bitter disrespect. Tender moments intervene when Ronsel's mother (Mary J. Blige) offers needed aid to the distressed wife (Carey Mulligan) of Henry McAllan, but it's not enough to soften the hearts of men conditioned to a life of racist hatred. The tension builds to a stunning conclusion that forces Jamie to look into the eyes of a man he intends to kill.
Excellent performances are turned in all the way around by the principal cast members, and as an ensemble, their work has created a stunning motion picture. At least Ms. Blige earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her work here, a worthy performance in a film that will some day be considered an overlooked gem.