'Free State of Jones' slogs through tale of Confederate revolt
In Gary Ross' longer-than-the-Civil-War Civil War epic “Free State of Jones,” Matthew McConaughey portrays Mississippi farmer Newton Knight, a Confederate-deserter-turned-guerrilla-fighter who's part Robin Hood, part Che Guevara and all Bernie Sanders.
“One man shouldn't stay poor so that another man can get rich!” he shouts to his merry band of army deserters, runaway slaves and Confederate widows.
Knight, a Lincoln Republican and abolitionist, rails against the corrupt system, rigged so that the rich plantation owners can be exempted from military conscription based on the number of slaves they own. (Twenty slaves excuse the owner. For 40 slaves, one son can be exempted, and so on.)
Confederate forces sweep through the South, confiscating food, livestock and supplies from starving, poverty-stricken families, but not from the wealthy landowners.
Despite Ross' good intentions, pertinent political points and a fascinating story plucked from obscure American history, “Free State of Jones” moves with the forced weightiness of epically challenged, made-for-cable films.
Ross, who directed the brilliant political fantasy “Pleasantville” and the serviceable first “Hunger Games,” covers so much material in 139 minutes that he leaps over details (what happened to the three Mississippi counties that seceded from the secession?) and never quite allows Knight to evolve from a grumpy guy with a government grudge and a crazed glaze in his eyes.
Most of “Free State of Jones” takes place from 1862 to 1865 when Knight, alarmed by the war's carnage and the government's treatment of people, waged his own war against the Confederacy by attacking its soldiers while hiding out in the Mississippi swamps of Jones County where military regulars couldn't get to him.
McConaughey's Knight begins his saga as a combat medic, snatching wounded fighters during battles and bringing them to doctors who don't have time to help them.
When a teen takes a fatal shot, Knight deserts the army to take him home for burial.
His conversion to resistance fighter begins when he trains the children of a farmer's wife to shoot guns - or at least to look as if they could shoot guns - to stop soldiers from looting the farm.
Soon, Knight assembles his own ragtag army of followers and hides in the swamp so long that his wife, Serena (Keri Russell), finally takes their son and moves away.
Meanwhile, sparks fly between Knight and Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a pretty former slave now living with the insurgents. (In real life, they married after the war and had several children.)
“Free State of Jones” reflects Hollywood's historical white savior drama in which a white leader guides downtrodden minorities to achieve safety, justice, security or self-fulfillment.
Here, Knight's scruffy savior expands his minority base to include widows, disillusioned soldiers and even kids.
The issue could have been mitigated by beefing up Mahershala Ali's supporting role of Moses, a wise former slave who possesses a more complex, intriguing character arc than the white protagonist.
Had “Free State of Jones” explored Moses' story - instead of flashing forward 85 years to underwhelm us with Knight's great grandson's legal battle for bi-racial marriage rights - the drama would have packed the sort of emotional punch Ross clearly intended to throw.
(Spoiler alert! Trailers ruin the movie's best combat scene surprise. Avoid them.)
“Free State of Jones”
★ ★
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali, Keri Russell
Directed by: Gary Ross
Other: An STX Entertainment release. Rated R for graphic images, violence. 139 minutes