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Mississippi Burning

Mississippi Burning

Drama · Crime · Mystery · 1988

Two FBI agents investigating the murder of civil rights workers during the 60s seek to breach the conspiracy of silence in a small Southern town where segregation divides black and white. The younger agent trained in FBI school runs up against the small town ways of his partner, a former sheriff.

Movie details

Mississippi Burning

“1964. When America was at war with itself.”

1988 Drama · Crime · Mystery 2h 8m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.7 / 10

Community rating

Two FBI agents investigating the murder of civil rights workers during the 60s seek to breach the conspiracy of silence in a small Southern town where segregation divides black and white. The younger agent trained in FBI school runs up against the small town ways of his partner, a former sheriff.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Mississippi Burning?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Alan Parker

Written by

Chris Gerolmo

Gene Hackman

Gene Hackman

Agent Rupert Anderson

Willem Dafoe

Willem Dafoe

Agent Alan Ward

Frances McDormand

Frances McDormand

Mrs. Pell

Brad Dourif

Brad Dourif

Deputy Clinton Pell

R. Lee Ermey

R. Lee Ermey

Mayor Tilman

Gailard Sartain

Gailard Sartain

Sheriff Stuckey

Stephen Tobolowsky

Stephen Tobolowsky

Townley

Court is in session

Put Mississippi Burning on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.