...a film about Black suffering designed for white self-gratification.

| Original Score: 10/20 | Apr 1, 2021

Burden tries to leave viewers with a sense of hope from its good-hearted redemption story, and for some, it certainly will. But for others, its shortcomings will make it feel shallow and naïve.

| Mar 13, 2021

Burden stumbles in choosing to put its spotlight on the wrong character.

| Feb 16, 2021

Hedlund finds the perfect pace as Burden who has many emotional and cognitive issues to deal with.

| Original Score: 3.5/4.0 | Nov 27, 2020

Burden isn't always an easy film to watch but that's exactly why it needs to be watched.

| Original Score: 3.5/4.0 | Sep 4, 2020

This may feel a bit corny, but it's also timely. And the solid actors add depth to its message of love conquering hate.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jul 21, 2020

The cast are all strong, but the film feels a little unsure of its place, wobbling between the retelling of history and a cinematic drama.

| Jul 14, 2020

Burden sometimes gets hokey, but the good intentions outweigh the sometimes overly sentimental direction. The movie doesn't sugarcoat that turning around a violent bigot's life can be complicated, messy, and dangerous.

| Jul 14, 2020

Burden feels like a prime example of misguided energy, where the focus is placed on a white man learning to repent for a lifetime of evil, rather than praising a Black man who shows kindness.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 2, 2020

Like Green Book, The Blind Side, The Soloist and so on, Burden fits too snugly into the white-saviour mode of storytelling. Which is a shame, because everyone involved here is doing their best in trying to craft layered characters with compelling agendas.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Jun 27, 2020

Though its messaging can be ham-fisted Burden packs quite a punch, its most arresting aspects being its portrayal of everyday racism, the difficulty of forgiveness and the power of social conditioning. As the KKK guru Tom Wilkinson is truly frightening.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 7, 2020

A valid and compelling film that deserves to be seen.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 4, 2020

This is not an easy walkabout or spiritual amputation. It is not subtle, but neither is hard personal change like that found in this story.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 10, 2020

Burden, which is inspired by true events, tells a difficult story with simplicity and courage.

| Apr 1, 2020

What is Burden teaching us or telling us about race in America that we don't already know from decades of history or decades of cinema?

| Mar 25, 2020

The true story is inspiring but it is the powerful acting that makes the film so affecting.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 19, 2020

Hampered by a story you've heard a million times and an uneven approach, Burden never justifies why we're revisiting such familiar material.

| Mar 19, 2020

Such a predictable story and environment doesn't exactly lend itself to depth. It can even ironically end of reassuring those who most need to reflect on their role in where we've found ourselves today.

| Original Score: C+ | Mar 18, 2020

The actor to applaud in "Burden" is Garrett Hedlund, also seen in "Tron" and "Mudbound."

| Mar 18, 2020

a flawed effort that, despite some significant virtues, can't sell the redemption story at its heart.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 16, 2020