Matewan | another Sayles gem

Matewan | My favorite John Sayles film

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Matewan

	Matewan average customer review:based on 65 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

another Sayles gem

Flat out, John Sayles is the most INTERESTING film maker operating today. Whether discussing the big chill{the return of the seacaucus seven}or the Blacksox scandal{eight men out} or an Irish Legend{the secret of roan inish}, Sayles is on target,literate and ENJOYABLE. Matewan is a cold heart in american history,when workers actually cared about their fellows,and were willing to put themselves, LITERALLY, on the line. This story takes place in WestVa. in the 1920's. The always excellent Chris Cooper{a sayles staple} is brilliant as the pacifist union leader of the united Mine Workers. James earlJones,the corporate shill who was once an accomplished actor, and turns out what might be the finest performance of his career as a poor mine worker. The cinematography is pitch perfect{the legendary Haskell Wexler,I later discovered, was responsible}. Even the child actors are superb{a notoriously difficult feat}. The scenes of the poverty as gut wrenching, as is the violence. Sayles spares us little. The ditty I sold my soul to the company store has mnore meaning after watching this movie. A brilliant social and political commentary, and a master crafstman at work. HUGELY RECOMMENDED. Also, the astounding award winning documentary, Harlan County USA.

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My favorite John Sayles film

This film is extraordinary. The script is wonderful, the acting superb. (Sayles himself does a cameo as the local preacher). Mason Daring's fabulous soundtrack greatly enhances the film (he is a Sayles favorite and often does soundtracks for the Nova series on PBS). There are no mediocre performances here -- and Chris Cooper, Mary McDonnell and James Earl Jones are extraordinary (as are many of the actors you've never heard of). The subject matter is rather hard to watch (poor coal miners getting abused by their employers), but it's worth getting past that. Others have talked at length about the story and its authenticity -- all I can say in addition is that this is one of my top 5 favorite films.

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The Union makes us strong!

Everyone who loves and appreciates movies should revere Sayles as the most coherent, consistent and independent voice of American cinema. Through a succession of truly great and criminally unrecognised films (Brother from Another Planet; Return of the Secaucus Seven; Eight Men Out; Lone Star) Sayles powerfully projects the earthy, progressive and - yes - left-wing convictions that once informed the views of the majority of ordinary American working men and women. The cinema of Sayles is somewhat like the music of Woody Guthrie - grounded in the views and experience of ordinary people, tinged with melancholy, yet coupled to a vision of a better America. At a time when even an enjoyable popcorn movie like Gladiator is confused as progressive filmmaking, Sayles' movies are the perfect reminder that there is still a REAL cinema of commitment in much the same way that somewhere in the midst and to the left of the Democratic Party there is still a REAL progressive movement. Like his English counterpart Ken Loach, Sayles chooses not to shy away from progressive presumptions in his storytelling - and the resulting integrity of his work accordingly demands respect no matter what your political viewpoint. Amongst his illustrious films, Matewan towers above all as Sayles' magnificent and epic signature film. Telling the heroic and tragic tale of the Virginia coalminers' strike, Sayles sides squarely and refreshingly (for an American film) with the striking workers. As with Eight Men Out (the story of the 1919 Chicago White Sox World Series scam), his view of the interests, needs and sentiments of owners is unrelentingly unsympathetic and scathing as he reveals them for what they were: ruthless, greedy robber-barons who built their fortune on the sweat and backs of American labour. But the quality and depth of Sayles' understanding of strike dynamics allows him to avoid the potential counter-pitfall of romanticizing union solidarity. Instead, he reveals with great frankness the racism, suspicion, manipulation, violence and treachery that oftentimes see workers self-destruct their own cause. The manipulated role of religion, church and authority does not escape Sayles' penetrating gaze either as he reminds us of uncomfortable truths in the history of class struggle in the US. Chris Cooper is SUPERB as the union organizer sent South to unionise the striking miners. Sayles regulars Mary McDonnell and David Strathairn provide strong support. Strathairn - as the laconic six-gun toting local Sheriff - is particularly rousing in his role as ultimate protector of the mining community. But before you think this movie is some long, boring, red flag waving political lecture, let me give you the good news quickly. THIS MOVIE ROCKS! Sayles' decision to play it like a Western is inspired - and it delivers in terms of every aspect of expectation in this regard (including, yes, the High Noon-style showdown). Riveting, violent and riddled with intrigue, this is a film that would not be out of place next to The Wild Bunch or Shane in your collection. That it also delivers powerful food for thought and that its heart - and head - is in the right place, will make it possibly the best movie in your collection that no one's ever heard of. It's easily in my Top Ten list of all-time great movies.

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A Stunning Look at the Industrial Warfare of the 1920s.

This is an extraordinary film. I use it in my labor history class to help students understand the industrial warfare of the 1920s. Chris Cooper gives a stunning performance. The character he plays helps students to understand the convictions and motivations of a former Wobbly and to see how union organizers put their lives on the line.

Matewan offers students a rich portrait of the fight for unionization that I could not provide them in any other way. The only trouble my students had was with the Southern accents. I wrote up an outline for them, including some of the outstanding quotes from Chris Cooper's character, and that seemed to help.

Many of my students purchased this film so they could watch it again at home.

Highly recommended.

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Powerful film

The familiar story of the struggles of workers trying to unionize is set in a grimy Appalachian coal mining town. The union busters sent in by the mine's owners are particularly brutal. You can't help but cheer for the townspeople as they try to piece together their lives and find hope for the future. Chris Cooper gives a subdued but powerful performance as a union organizer who tries to soothe the prejudices of miners while uniting them. The always wonderful Mary McDonnell (one of Hollywood's most under-valued actresses, I think) is here in one of her early films, as a loving and determined single mother who tries to cope with loneliness while dealing with the turmoil around her (the union busters take up residence in her boarding house-home and terrorize within those walls as well). You'll forgive the low budget and slightly too long running time as you appreciate this powerful story.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, page 10, 11, 12, 13

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