Dee Rees 'Mudbound' looks like a promising awards contender
Silence, oppression, fear. It would take an extraordinary man to beat all that.
Check out the trailer for 'Mudbound' below!
If you read any one of Mudbound's Sundance reviews, you'll no doubt discover filmmaker Dee Rees adaptation of Hillary Jordan's 2008 novel takes you to a place deeply rooted in historical context and layered with sobering commentary about (wo)mankind's struggles.
The trailer for Netflix's $12.5 million Sundance acquisition provides an in-depth look at the struggles of war veterans (Jason Mitchell and Garrett Hedlund) and their respective families the "McAllan's" and the "Jacksons." Set in 1940's rural Mississippi, both families experience the hardships of poverty and the consequences of interracial friendships bound by societal norms. Much like Jeff Nichols 2016 drama Loving, Rees' Mudbound elevates the historical significance of a time and place that feels all too familiar with today's current events.
As Variety's Peter DeBruge states it "Once awards season rolls around, it will be somebody’s job to identify which are the lead performances and which are supporting, but in the meantime, Mudbound presents a canvas on which all six of its narrators loom large. The male actors are strong, especially (Jason) Mitchell and (Garrett) Hedlund, who wrestle the traumas of their wartime experience with a fresh set of battles on the home front, but it’s the two women (Carey Mulligan and Mary J. Blige) who leave the strongest impression." Count me in.
Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jonathan Banks and Mary J. Blige round out the terrific ensemble. Director Dee Rees co-wrote the screenplay with Virgil Williams.
Netflix releases Mudbound on Nov. 17.
