Mudbound Finds a New Artistic Way of Representing the Brutality of Racism

MUDBOUND -2017- Dir. Dee Rees//Starring: Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Rob Morgan, Jonathan Banks, Garrett Hedlund

Dee Rees’ Mudbound is a story about war. No, it is not a war film; it follows the effects of war on two men. These two men are similar except for one feature: their skin color. As the film is set in Mississippi in the nineteen-forties, you can imagine the conflicts that arise. Although Mudbound beautifully explores the brutality of racism, this is not its only message. The story also follows a women who goes from a pristine life to one of pure mud. It follows a family who wants to buy what should be rightfully theirs. It follows a friendship that defies all expectations or social boundaries. It follows the effects of the crusty mud on one moral. Mudbound is a slow building and beautifully well developed film centered around intricate relationships.

War obviously plays a large role in the film. Ronsel Jackson, portrayed by Jason Mitchell (Straight Outta Compton, Kong: Skull Island), is a member of the black family living on the McCallen farm. The dynamic of the family who is working tirelessly to buy the land they work upon, is another interesting character study. When Ronsel is drafted, the pure emotion from his father, portrayed by Rob Morgan (Stranger Things, Godless), and mother, portrayed by Oscar nominated — for Mudbound — Mary J. Bilge (Black-ish, Empire), is heartbreaking. Across the farm, Jamie McAllen the brother of the farm owner portrayed by Garrett Hedlund (Troy, On the Road) kisses goodbye his nieces and sister-in-law. The war is intense, yet the aftermath of it is far more interesting as it is the main premise of the story. Ronsel, a great war hero, is treated far less than a hero once he returns home. This racism is rightfully frustrating to the viewer. The one person who he can relate to, although their skin color is different, is Jamie. Their relationships and the effect of their relationship is what makes this screenplay the masterpiece that it is.

The film begins with its focus on Laura McCallen, who is portrayed by the Oscar nominated actress Carey Mulligan (An Education, Drive). Mulligan’s portrayal of struggling women in the 40’s is breathtaking. We watch her character, Laura, fall for a promising young man and figuratively sell her rights to him through marriage. Her life takes an unexpected turn, as she ends up on a farm surrounded by mud. Her unhappy marriage and distress for her children is heartbreaking. Although her unhappiness is tangible, no one listens to her. What makes Laura so interesting is that she is not a racist like her husband and step-father. Her relationship with the black family living on the farm is a delicate one, which she learns to depended on. Laura’s perspective is a fresh view on a topic that has been touched on endlessly in cinema.

Although the slow building plot, intricate character relationships and emotional acting of Mudbound is a magnet for any lover of fine film, the cinematography of this film is its most successful aspect. Cinematographer Rachel Morrison (Black Panther, Dope) is the first female cinematographer nominated for an Oscar for her work in Mudbound. Her work in the film brings the very mud, that the whole film is based upon, to life. Each shifty shot is composed with pure purpose. The feelings portrayed by both this stunning cinematography and complex dialogue is comepling.

Mudbound is a film that starts with a burial and works its way backward in a intriguing and artistic fashion. Although the film is not for everyone (especially people with a short attention span), it is a masterful piece of art. The film has been nominated for four Oscars and is easily accessible as it is a Netflix original. Mudbound’s fresh look at racism and stunning visuals that correlate with its title makes it a solid A-.

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