Review of Mississippi Burning (1988) by Jesse L — 21 Aug 2009

"Mississippi Burning" is a dramatization of an actual event that took place in the mid-'60s, when three civil rights workers went "missing" in Mississippi. The FBI was sent in to investigate and, after finding the workers' bodies, prosecuted their killers not for murder but for violating their civil rights.

The lead performances, especially by Gene Hackman as Mississippian-cum-federal agent, are very solid, with Frances McDormand, R.Lee Ermey, and Michael Rooker lending memorable support. The direction and writing, though, make the film's social commentary suffer. Director Alan Parker didn't go way over the top thankfully but he did present his dissection of racial politics in the South heavy-handedly. "Burning" is a victim of intentions: Parker and company earnestly want to portray the evils of racism, but the presentation becomes unsubtle and, at times, preachy (although Parker largely eschews OTT dialogue in favor of OTT set-pieces).