there's never once an impression that Barry Alexander Brown knows what story he wants to tell in "Son of the South"; there's never any focus, and worst of all, it never makes the case that a movie about Bob Zellner is intriguing let alone necessary
executive produced by Spike Lee, Barry Alexander Brown’s drama features fine performances across the board, and a vivid evocation of a tumultuous period
audiences won't learn more from "Son of the South" about the Civil Rights era as a whole, but it does offer a reminder to those who would be allies about the importance of standing up to injustice, disenfranchisement, and discrimination
accepted on its terms, the film does a reasonably absorbing job of dramatizing how Bob Zellner's convictions strengthened, pulling him away from the security of inaction
a true civil rights story worth telling, however quaintly; an emotionally charged story that packs a solid punch, serves as a valuable history lesson; The fight for equality isn't over, and this story is as relevant today..
"Son of the South" is a pretty old-fashioned, unimaginative contribution to the filmography on the civil rights struggle, but it's earnest and instructive, and a tribute to one of its unsung heroes
by Robert Kojder [Flickering Myth ]
by Richard Roeper [Chicago Sun-Times ]
