FREE STATE OF JONES

Review: In 1863, Newt Knight, a disillusioned Confederate Army deserter returns to Mississippi. He is opposed to slavery and he would rather help the wounded than fight the Union. Once he arrives back home his mission is to safeguard his family but is soon branded and outlaw deserter. He is then forced to flee finding him with groups of runaway slaves hiding out in swamps. Newt Knight leads a rebellion that would change history forever.
Director: Gary Ross
Actors: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali, Keri Russell, Christopher Berry, Sean Bridgers, Jacob Lofland, Thomas Francis Murphy, Bill Tangradi, Brian Lee Franklin, Kerry Cahill, Joe Chrest, Jessica Collins, Donald Elise Watkins, Jill Jane Clements, Dane Rhodes, Lawrence Turner and Troy Anthony Hogan
Year: 2016
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, History and War
Conclusion: 4/5
Based on a true story. I do think that this is Matthew McConaughey’s best performance. It is great to see him take such a strong convincing lead role. I enjoyed seeing Gugu Mbatha-Raw who always gives such a fantastic performance. I thought that it was very well directed by Gary Ross. The director spent years doing research and writing the screenplay. He then found that no one was interested in financing the film. He went off and directed The Hunger Games (2012), during which time films like Lincoln (2012) and 12 Years a Slave (2013) came out. These films had then changed the studios’ perceptions completely. I thought the battle scenes were really well done and really bloody. The themes that are most important in this film are racial and class divisions and also equality.