Por Victoria Hope
In a world so divided and with such relevant political and social issues being addressed, Christian Swegal's directorial debut entitled "Sovereign" is like a finger touching an exposed and open wound of bigotry that has plagued the world and mainly America.
Starring Nick Offerman (The Last of Us), Jacob Tremblay (The Life of Chuck) and Dennis Quaid (The Substance), the film tells the story of a father and son who identify as 'sovereigns', a class of conspiracy-minded Americans who, in the context of the social movement, see themselves as "sovereign citizens", individuals who consider themselves above the laws and government authorities of the United States, often claiming that the government is illegitimate.
It is delicate moments like this in the world today where films like "Sovereign" are incredibly necessary to show where exacerbated extremism and the certainty of impunity (as well as excess religion) can lead ordinary people, especially when supported by individuals who also buy into these same beliefs, to act on unthinkable acts.
One of the film's highlights is undoubtedly the performances, especially by Offerman and Tremblay, who, together on screen, have an unparalleled chemistry. The father-son dynamic works very well, and Jacob is also worth mentioning, as he manages to convey all the conflicting feelings that a child of extremists harbors inside him; after all, he begins to question whether his father really is the owner of all the truths and whether the whole world is wrong. Returning to Nick's side, this is one of his best works in a portfolio filled with many impeccable performances on TV and in the movies.
Despite the very interesting script, the film often focuses on the American police force aplenty, as if, in a way, it were trying to paint the story and sometimes it may seem to divide the characters into simply good or evil, without many nuances of gray and without really questioning this institution, which doesn't make the intentions of the narrative very clear. However, the resolution of everything is extremely important and moving, haunting even.
With the world and America polarized, Sovereign shows the tip of the iceberg that can explode when individuals find themselves fragile, with all their feelings on the surface ready to explode and that is exactly what will culminate in the tragic end of this story, wrapped in mourning, sadness and losses on all sides.
RATE: 8.5/10
