Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violence, profanity, lots of tension in Jim Crow crime drama
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Mississippi Burning
What's the Story?
Based on a true story, MISSISSIPPI BURNING tells the story of how the FBI investigated the disappearance of three Civil Rights workers in 1964. Agents Ward (Willem Dafoe) and Anderson (Gene Hackman) arrive in the small, rural town where the victims were last seen. Suspicion immediately falls on the corrupt sheriff, his deputies, and the mayor, all of whom are suspected members of the Ku Klux Klan. To get to the truth, Ward and Anderson will have to confront and bring down the county's most powerful figures. Is there a price that's too high to pay, and how can the community dig itself out of the deeply entrenched racism that permeates every aspect of life?
Is It Any Good?
With an outstanding cast and compelling script, director Alan Parker tells an explosive story that's often painful but no less worthwhile viewing. A fictional retelling of real events, Mississippi Burning explores deeply entrenched racism and hatred, and how those two forces have been used to oppress African Americans and maintain the status quo for whites. It's not a Civil Rights story, although that movement is the backdrop and the catalyst for the plot. Instead, the movie asks important questions teens and adults need to consider about how to have a just and equitable society, where the hatred comes from, how to combat it, and how to pick up the pieces after years of violent oppression.
It lacks any substantial African-American perspective (all the main characters are white), which would have added emotional depth and a balanced perspective, but it at least points out that it took the death of two white men to finally shine a light on a dark chapter in our country's history.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Mississippi Burning. Is it historically accurate? Does that make it OK to watch?
What about the strong language, especially the "N" word? How does it make you feel, or what do you think, when you hear how it's used in this movie?
Do you agree with Agent Ward that people who watch and do nothing are just as guilty as those who pull the trigger? Or that we're all guilty? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 2, 1988
- On DVD or streaming : May 8, 2001
- Cast : Willem Dafoe , Gene Hackman , Frances McDormand
- Director : Alan Parker
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Orion Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : History
- Character Strengths : Courage , Integrity , Perseverance
- Run time : 128 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Award : Academy Award
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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