It's easy to understand why people might become skeptical of authority figures these days, particularly considering what’s happened recently, and how that skepticism can lead to strong opposition. But does that give anyone the right to ignore established social norms and laws in favor of their own interpretations, simply to claim personal freedom? It’s a deeply divisive topic, one where extreme viewpoints clash intensely, often with terrible results. That's what writer-director Christian Swegel explores in his impressive debut feature film, based on actual events. This suspenseful true crime psychological thriller tells the story of the 2010 shootings of two police officers in West Memphis, Arkansas, during a traffic stop involving Jerry Kane (Nick Offerman), a vocal proponent of the Sovereign Citizens movement, and his teenage son, Joe (Jacob Tremblay). The father, who used to work as a roofer but became an activist protesting what he believed were questionable government policies, tried to challenge the system and gain followers by promoting legal theories that stretched the limits of believability in order to justify his actions. However, given his history of offenses and increasing personal frustration, things escalated, affecting not only himself but also his confused, impressionable son, who struggled to grasp his father’s philosophy—a mix of manufactured resistance, passionate support for gun ownership, and distorted Christian beliefs. This compelling film from 2025 is a difficult one to watch (especially now), because it brings up important questions about how far is too far when dealing with opposing viewpoints. It also contains two of the year’s best performances, though they haven't received much attention, by Offerman and Jacob Tremblay, who earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination, along with solid work from a talented supporting cast including Dennis Quaid, Martha Plimpton and Nancy Travis, all supported by an outstanding, award-nominated screenplay. Some viewers might find the protagonist’s complicated legal and philosophical arguments difficult to follow, but that actually highlights how deeply held and focused his radical beliefs were, no matter how strange they may seem to most people. It's unfortunate that this film feels especially relevant to what’s happening in our country right now—a troubling reflection of the current situation. But if we ever hope for real change, we need to examine ourselves and the things that motivate us, or risk descending into anarchy and chaos from which there might be no recovery.

Source on TMDB