Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- grave
- earnest
- harrowing
- historical film night
- civil war history viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the real-life story historically fascinating and morally ambitious, but judged the film’s treatment stilted and overly dependent on a white-savior perspective.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Newton Knight joins small farmers and enslaved people in an armed uprising against Confederate conscription and exploitation.
The narrative continues beyond the Civil War into Reconstruction, showing the struggle over racial and political power after emancipation.
Knight’s rebellion depends on an alliance between Southern farmers and local enslaved people, including Moses Washington and Rachel.
Gary Ross stages battlefield violence, raids, and the Free State uprising alongside personal scenes in the Mississippi backcountry.
Films like Free State of Jones, and why
Glory
historical war drama centered on moral resistance, slavery, and the American Civil War
12 Years a Slave
period historical drama examining slavery, racial violence, and contested American identity
The Last King of Scotland
true-events historical drama about rebellion against an oppressive political order
Cold Mountain
epic American period drama combining armed conflict, racial politics, and Reconstruction-era consequences
Movie Details
- Director
- Gary Ross
- Release Date
- 2016-06-24
- Runtime
- 140 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (1711)
Cast
- Matthew McConaughey
- Gugu Mbatha-Raw
- Mahershala Ali
- Keri Russell
- Jacob Lofland
- Sean Bridgers
- Brad Carter
- Jane McNeill
- Gary Grubbs
- Christopher Berry
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Wonder Project Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Free State of Jones about?
- A defiant Mississippi farmer leads an interracial insurgency against the Confederacy and confronts the unfinished struggle for freedom after the Civil War.
- What is Free State of Jones like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Free State of Jones as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Free State of Jones violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Free State of Jones as graphic.
- What did critics think of Free State of Jones?
- Critics broadly found the real-life story historically fascinating and morally ambitious, but judged the film’s treatment stilted and overly dependent on a white-savior perspective.
- Which films are like Free State of Jones?
- Films with a similar feel include Glory, 12 Years a Slave, The Last King of Scotland, and Cold Mountain.
- How long is Free State of Jones?
- Free State of Jones runs 140 minutes.
- Where can I watch Free State of Jones?
- In United States, Free State of Jones streams on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Wonder Project Amazon Channel.
