Mississippi Burning (1988)

'Mississippi Burning' is a fictionalized account of the FBI investigation into the murders of three civil rights workers in 1964 Mississippi rendered as a thriller. Roger Ebert's favorite film of 1988, well constructed and acted with a lean taught direction by Alan Parker, enveloping sense of place and a brilliantly underplayed lead performance by Gene Hackman as an FBI man who himself had once been a small town Mississippi sheriff. More then 30 years on this white centric account feels a little off, as does making J. Edger Hoovers FBI the hero's of a civil rights story (reminds me how odd I found it that there was a movie called 'Black Panther' in which the CIA character (Martin Freeman) was a good guy). So seeing this movie for the first time now as opposed to closer to the time of its original release lessens the impact some, this story terrain is much more well trodden now, our perceptions more woke. Still it's a solid film, Hackman's great in it and the depiction of the time and place of its setting feels very real. Also this may be the first time I've found a Frances McDormand's performance (whose long been a great actress) to be sexy. ***1/2