Mudbound

           Co-written and directed by Dee Rees, this period drama tells the story of two families, one Black and one White in the 1940's Mississippi Delta.  Henry McAllen, played by Jason Clarke buys a farm in the Delta and moves there with his wife, Laura, played by Cary Mulligan, his father, played by Jonathan Banks, and their two daughters. A tenant farmer, Hap Jackson, played by Rob Morgan, his wife Florence, played by Mary J. Blige, and their family also work the same plot of land.

            Henry's younger brother, Jamie is a pilot overseas at the same time Hap's oldest son Ronsel is a  tank sergeant fighting in Germany. Jamie, played by Garrett Hedlund and Ronsel, played by Jason Mitchell return home after the war and bond over surviving the horrors of war. Their friendship, however, remains a secret due to the racial divide that exists at the time.

             It is a fine ensemble cast that provide a depth of human emotion in every scene. The film shows the everyday struggles of life for both families at home while cutting to scenes of Jamie and Ronsel fighting respectively overseas. It is an uncompromising look at the racially charged south at the time as well as the social order of the day.

              Ms. Rees explores the microcosm of the day to day for both families and is at it's best capturing the smallest details, good and bad that cross the social and racial borders of a particular time and place.  I can't say enough about the cast and and the terrific work they do bringing life, in all it's beauty and flaws, to these characters. The film reflects the raw and sometimes brutal honesty of the period, with no easy answers. It is an artistic achievement in storytelling.