Matewan Review
Writer-director John_Sayles specializes in recasting American history through the eyes of overlooked working-class heroes, and his story of striking West Virginia coal miners in the 1920s is one of his most polished and accessible achievements. Based on a bloody battle in the town of Matewan, the film examines labor unions from a critical perspective, shedding light on racial and cultural attitudes that hampered the movement. James_Earl_Jones gives a powerful, minimalist performance as the miners' leader. Sayles appears in a minor role, as he often does in his own films, as a conservative minister who preaches against the union organizers. Thanks to cinematographer Haskell_Wexler, the film is visually rich. Sayles's dialogue and the period settings and costumes are wonderfully authentic, and the customary low budget of a Sayles movie never seems obvious. Michael Betzold, Rovi
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