57
Metascore
17 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 91IndieWireKate ErblandIndieWireKate ErblandAs Burden, Garrett Hedlund astonishes in a nuanced portrait of a man resistant to change, until he finally comes to understand that hatred is literally killing him.
- 80VarietyAmy NicholsonVarietyAmy NicholsonHedlund’s humble, hard-to-love performance makes the aptly named Burden work as both a portrait of one weak-minded man, and as a study of the ideas people carry without questioning why.
- 63The Associated PressMark KennedyThe Associated PressMark KennedyFor all of the inherent drama, it becomes clear that Burden, the man at the center of a film which bears his name, is really just a cipher, a sponge upon which we put meaning.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyThe Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyIt’s an eyebrow-raising true tale, one aided and abetted onscreen by the solid cast and strong sense of commitment. But Heckler is caught somewhere between being a journalistic historian and a dramatist without seeming expert at either. His screenplay connects all the dots of the story with no sense of shaping or modulation.
- 50The PlaylistJordan RuimyThe PlaylistJordan RuimyWhat keeps Burden captivating are the performances, especially from Riseborough, Whitaker and Wilkinson, consummate pros that give their characters flesh and blood dimension.
- 50The A.V. ClubKatie RifeThe A.V. ClubKatie RifeOverly simplistic piece of Southern poverty porn, which asks questions it’s not really prepared to answer and proceeds from a set of dubious assumptions that undermine whatever nuance it does possess.
- 50The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThough the themes of Burden feel uncomfortably current, their execution is leaden and dismayingly artless.
- 50Rolling StonePeter TraversRolling StonePeter TraversWobbly but well-intentioned broadside against racism.
- 40The GuardianJordan HoffmanThe GuardianJordan HoffmanThis movie is about as subtle as a sledgehammer, with no shortage of cringeworthy moments and an uninteresting lead performance.