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Poster for Native Son

Native Son

The story that shocked the country.

1986 · 1h 51m · PG Drama
Directed by Jerrold Freedman

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Overview

In 1940s Chicago, a young black man takes a job as a chauffeur to a white family, which takes a turn for the worse when he accidentally kills the teenage daughter of the couple and then tries to cover it up.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
56%
Tomatometer
Rotten

The film makers haven't listened to Wright. They appear to have been aiming at the same genteel audience that insists on seeing something sentimental and upbeat even in a television movie-of-the-week about AIDS.

Vincent Canby, New York Times
Rotten

Transforms the novel into an all-too-genteel crime story, denuded of rage, devoid of social and historic context.

Richard Harrington, Washington Post
Rotten

Unfortunately, drama translates as melodrama and speechy, preachy dialogue tells us we're watching something that's good for us.

Rita Kempley, Washington Post
Fresh

The movie understands that the story really is about the killer's point of view. It is not the story of a crime, not a docudrama, not a sociological essay.

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

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