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Native Son

Play trailer Poster for Native Son 2019 1h 48m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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62% Tomatometer 52 Reviews 48% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
A young African-American living in Chicago enters into a seductive new world of money and power after becoming a chauffeur for an affluent businessman.
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Native Son

Native Son

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Critics Consensus

Native Son's struggles with its problematic source material are uneven but overall compelling, thanks largely to Ashton Sanders' poised work in the central role.

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Critics Reviews

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Hannah Giorgis The Atlantic 09/10/2019
At times quite visually stunning, but with tonal incongruities that make for a disjointed viewing experience. Go to Full Review Soraya Nadia McDonald Andscape 04/11/2019
Nearly 80 years after Native Son was first published, we're still searching for answers. Go to Full Review Steven Nguyen Scaife Slant Magazine 04/06/2019
2.5/4
Native Son makes a number of changes to its source material, many of which dilute the story's power. Go to Full Review Brian T. Carney Washington Blade 12/07/2022
A powerful indictment of systemic racism in America based on the classic novel by Richard Wright. Go to Full Review Greg Carlson Vague Visages 07/29/2019
Johnson's striking vision is enhanced by Libatique's photography, which perfectly outlines the discomfort experienced by Big as he tries - and fails - to fit in anywhere. Go to Full Review Juan Tomás Erbiti Clarín 05/28/2019
By itself, it falters. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Bix M L @Marie559 11/22/2024 Movie about a killer with a fancy title. Protagonist is a selfcentered idiot who cares about no one but himself and his monologues are just … make you eyeroll forever. See more 01/01/2022 Such a strong first half that falls completely apart, especially once the climax arrived, I genuinely thought "but...why?" See more andrea c @Charst 02/28/2021 Ashton Sanders è un astro nascente, detta il ritmo e cattura la scena in questo film molto particolare che si adatta perfettamente al suo personaggio. Piaccia o no, i ritmi lenti e cadenzati come le movente di Ashton, il film segue la parabola di un giovane afro americano, il cui destino è segnato da un singolo momento che fa crollare tutte le sue speranze, portandolo in una spirale di disperazione. See more 06/16/2020 Native Son by Richard Wright is one of my favorite books. This film is not that book. It is a modernization with a different ending. Bigger is a Native Son. He is the product of systemic racism in America. See more 05/26/2020 I've been underwhelmed by Ashton Sanders in the past, but he did a great job in this indie film. Unfortunately the plot takes a bombastic turn after the halfway mark, and to me, ruins a strong first half. See more Ben D 12/19/2019 Coolest jacket ever. Ashton Sanders was my favorite "3rd" of Moonlight. But the film had a completely different tone from the book (which I discuss here) because of the deviation from the book's setting — modern day vs. 1930s — especially during the final act. The film's Bigger is more likable, which is the problem. See more Read all reviews
Native Son

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Cast & Crew

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Rashid Johnson

Director

Ashton Sanders

Bigger Thomas

Margaret Qualley

Mary Dalton

Nick Robinson

Jan Erlone

Sanaa Lathan

Trudy Thomas

KiKi Layne

Bessie

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Native Son

Native Son (2019) Native Son (2019) Native Son (2019) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A young African-American living in Chicago enters into a seductive new world of money and power after becoming a chauffeur for an affluent businessman.
Director
Rashid Johnson
Producer
Matthew Perniciaro, Michael Sherman
Screenwriter
Suzan-Lori Parks
Production Co
Bow and Arrow Entertainment, The Domain Group
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 6, 2019
Runtime
1h 48m
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