Mudbound (2017)

This might just be the best film of 2017.
This film tells the story of two families, both during and just after World War II.
The McAllens are white and the owners of the land while the Jacksons are African American and work the land, putting all their sweat and blood into something and seeing little in return.
Each of the main characters take turns narrating, each with a unique voice and perspective on the world around them.
Henry McAllen (Jason Clarke) is educated but always wanted to be a farmer so he takes his college-educated wife, Laura (Carey Mulligan) and they move to a farm far away from civilization with his widowed and cantankerous father, Pappy (Jonathan Banks). Laura might not be completely in love with Henry but she was a thirty-one year old virgin when she met him and was very grateful that someone finally showed enough interest in her, while his brother, Jamie (Garrett Hedlund), is the one who probably has her heart.
The Jacksons have been working the land for decades. Hap (Rob Morgan) is a preacher while his wife, Florence (Mary J. Blige) is a midwife and the paths of the two families cross constantly for several years.
Henry expects the Jacksons to help his family at his beck and call and shows little sympathy when Hap severely injuries his leg but at least he isn't a member of the Klan as his father is. Laura might be a southern belle but because she is used to luxury, she steals money to provide a doctor for Hap so he can get better sooner so Florence can return to helping her in the 'big house' which doesn't even have indoor plumbing.
Jamie respects then, especially the oldest Jackson son and fellow veteran Ronsel (Jason Mitchell) and because of their past experiences, they form a special bond. Ronsel was treated fine in Europe and even fell in love with a white German girl but upon his return home, nothing has changed, he is still treated cruelly. Hap warns him that they will always win, which is the sad truth.
Everything comes to a head when Pappy discovers the picture of Ronsel's German lover and their child and he and Klan beat the crap out of him and nearly kill him along with Jamie who tries to defend him but in the end has to choose his punishment, picking either his eyes, tongues or penis to be chopped or gorged off. Jamie says tongue, which might be the best of the three opinions, though they all suck. That being said, I was expecting them to lynch him so I am grateful that he is still alive at the end of the film. Pappy, on the other hand, isn't. I'm not glad that his tongue was cut out, but it was better than what I was expecting. What a sad world it is that I am glad that only his tongue was removed. God forbid all people are treated equally. And calling a child an abomination is never a good move.
Jamie was a bomber during the war and his father might be proud of his achievements during the war but also believes that he doesn't have the guts to kill a person face to face and look them in the eye while the other dies. But Jamie does look his Pappy in the eye while he smothers him. Though Laura tells Henry, upon his return, that Pappy died in his sleep, they don't treat his death as such, which makes no sense to me. They bury him themselves, without a public funeral, and then the Jacksons leave, never to return.
Still, the film manages to end happily, with Ronsel returning to Germany for love this time, which is always a relief. The film managed to eek out a happy ending, which is a relief after all the hate the film was filled with.
Now, while I could nitpick this film until kingdom come, including Mulligan, while excellent is too young for her role, there is also the odd subplot of the white sharecropper family on the the land, the Atwoods. There is a confrontation between Carl (Dylan Arnold) and Henry toward the beginning and Vera (Lucy Faust) begs Laura to let the family stay as she is pregnant again and they need the work. And then, several months later, she begs Laura to give her a ride into town or else she will kill her husband as she implies that he is assaulting their daughters and that is exactly what happens, she kills her husband and walks into town covered in his blood. It is an underdeveloped and probably unnecessary subplot, but it doesn't take away from the film. This film is about how each family need each other, whether they want to admit it or not and whether they should have to need each other or not.
The film is superb, the acting flawless and performances brilliant, with gritty, realistic characters. The setting is also great, this film manages to transport you back to that troubled time and it should not be forgotten. The editing swift and flawless; the cinematography lush. I give massive credit to director Dee Rees, who also co-wrote the screenplay, which tells an epic story and makes it intimate. This film deserves as many awards as it receives and many more. This is one of the best films of the year, period. Grade: A