The title to this movie is a misnomer, as "Sounder" is the family dog and it doesn't play that prominent a role in the film. Instead of a dog flick, it concerns the trials and tribulations of a Black-American family early in the 20th Century. Most of their problems concern racial prejudice but poverty helped contribute to their struggle as well. Overall, the movie really stands out for excellent acting as well as excellent writing--the characters have a lot of life and seem very realistic. My only quibble is that the story itself seems secondary--life WHAT occurs is far less important than the journey itself. While this is not a major complaint, it does blunt, somewhat, the overall impact of the film. There are, as a consequence, better films about the African-American experience BUT it is still well worth watching--especially for kids who might be too young for some other movies (like Rosewood or Glory).
Review of Sounder
