X
- 2020
- R
- 101 Studios
- 1 h 57 m
- 2020
- R
- 101 Studios
- 1 h 57 m
Summary When a museum celebrating the Ku Klux Klan opens in a small South Carolina town, the idealistic Reverend Kennedy (Forest Whitaker) resolves to do everything in his power to prevent long-simmering racial tensions from boiling over. But the members of Kennedy’s congregation are shocked to discover that his plan includes sheltering Mike Bur...
Directed By: Andrew Heckler
- 2020
- R
- 101 Studios
- 1 h 57 m
- 2020
- R
- 101 Studios
- 1 h 57 m
Burden
57
7.0
Where to Watch
Summary When a museum celebrating the Ku Klux Klan opens in a small South Carolina town, the idealistic Reverend Kennedy (Forest Whitaker) resolves to do everything in his power to prevent long-simmering racial tensions from boiling over. But the members of Kennedy’s congregation are shocked to discover that his plan includes sheltering Mike Bur...
Directed By: Andrew Heckler
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 17 Critic Reviews
57
47% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
53% Mixed
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 17 Critic Reviews
57
47% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
53% Mixed
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
As Burden, Garrett Hedlund astonishes in a nuanced portrait of a man resistant to change, until he finally comes to understand that hatred is literally killing him.
There’s a lot to chew on here, and if Burden is ultimately buried by its muddled central character, it’s as much a testament to the filmmaker’s refusal to sugarcoat this story as it is a criticism of the final product.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 10 User Ratings
7.0
60% Positive
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
40% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 10 User Ratings
7.0
60% Positive
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
40% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Convincing story about commitment to break through racial barriers, including the anger and wounds in oneself and the possibility for radical change
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Overlong and overstuffed with Southern rock and blues numbers, Burden is not exemplary filmmaking. But for viewers who can endure another spin through white-supremacist malice and ignorance, Hedlund and Riseborough make it a compelling ride.
Typically, Whitaker can lend the sloppiest assignment some much-needed dignity, but here he gives far more than the easy and lazy script ever demands, so much so that you begin to feel sorry that he took the time and energy to do so.
Wobbly but well-intentioned broadside against racism.
Overly simplistic piece of Southern poverty porn, which asks questions it’s not really prepared to answer and proceeds from a set of dubious assumptions that undermine whatever nuance it does possess.
This movie is about as subtle as a sledgehammer, with no shortage of cringeworthy moments and an uninteresting lead performance.
Burden – Learning Life Lessons
Had heard nothing about this movie but gave it a go and pleased I stayed with it. It’s a rough slog at times with its messy hand-held camera style and coarse language script, but obviously, the writer/ director felt this conveyed the message - as close to the facts the story is based on. Forest Whitaker (The Last King Of Scotland) is highly impressive as the mid-1990s Baptist Reverend, earnestly out to prove that love is more powerful than hate. He offers safe shelter - in his own home, to a violent ex KKK member and family, inviting a serious situation with his own family as well as the town’s angry KKK citizens. First-time writer/director Andrew Heckler took on a difficult task with this serious subject and at times it shows but the message is certainly an important one. It’s quite interesting to see British Award winner, Tom Wilkinson as the nasty KKK leader - while also credited as one of the film’s producers! He obviously felt strongly about its racial themes. It features a strong music score and performances are uniformly good.
Report
Garrett Hedlund plays a Klan member in South Carolina, who’s outlook is changed after he becomes involved with a single mother and her son. Forest Whitaker is the preacher who leads the protest against the KKK museum opening in their small town. He also offers a healing hand to the errant young man. There are inevitable community clashes and violence, literally black and white conflicts. There's not much original in concept, but the direction and performances are well executed all around. What makes the film worth watching is the compelling story of redemption farmed with Hedlund’s physically remarkable, emotionally nuacnced performance.
NOTE: Since this is based on a true story, there are brief interviews with the actual characters during the credits.
Report
Production Company
Bill Kenwright Films,
Cool House,
The Fyzz Facility,
The Fyzz,
Unburdened Entertainment
Release Date Feb 28, 2020
Duration 1 h 57 m
Rating R
Tagline A young man's love affair puts him in deadly peril with the Southern community that raised him.
Website
https://www.burdenmovie.com/
Awards
Sundance Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Nantucket Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Guild of Music Supervisors Awards
• 1 Nomination
