Sovereign

So apt for the world we are living and an important portrayal of an element of society that poses an eternal threat to that society.

Since reading about Timothy McVeigh years ago I've always been somewhat fascinated by the disassociated, those who drift further and further into their very own world of indoctrination and delusion. I know people of that ilk, albeit mild in nature by comparison. I'd imagine everyone knows at least one.

Contrary to other comments, I liked the pacing. The acting was excellent. Offerman totally convincing and memorable. Every conspiracy theorist should be made to watch movies like this to see where delusion can lead to.

My daughter and I are both attorneys who lecture on the "sovereign citizen" movement. We're also published in this area. This is about as close as you'll get to this one horrible case based on facts. Other sov cits are mostly down on their luck looking to content creators who hold seminars on line or in hotels as seen here. They are found in 11 countries and NONE OF THEIR METHODS HAVE EVER WORKED! No one ever got off at trial, got paid by their "secret trust", saved their house or car. You need a license, registration & insurance & no, you're not "traveling" in "the private". Don't get taken in by it.

A tense, absorbing character study that showcases Nick Offerman at his absolute best. Christian Swegal's debut feature, Sovereign, feels remarkably assured, smart, gripping, and full of striking little details that reward close attention. As an indie film, it makes the most of its modest scale to deliver a atmospheric experience that feels both personal and cinematic. Swegal leans into sharp writing, focused direction, and strong performances to build tension without relying on spectacle, proving that indie filmmaking, when done with this level of care and vision, can be just as impactful as big-budget thrillers. A confident, memorable thriller that lingers long after the credits roll.

I saw this movie in theaters with a group of friends, all of us born and raised here in the Midwest. Afterwards the mood was pretty somber because everyone in the group recognized scenes from their own family upbringing. The kid sitting in the backseat listening to Dad rant about the government, cops being trained to immediately rely on overwhelming force, all of it building a system that pushes normal people into potentially violent situations over and over again until eventually somebody pulls a trigger. If you grew up in a working last neighborhood, I can guarantee you're gonna recognize some family members in these characters and chances are that you'll sympathize with each of the main characters. It's a great movie, but it's not a fun movie to watch.

I guess many people now can sympathise with the premise of this film: a man fighting big government to keep his house and live as a human. He teaches his homeschooled son only in the ways government ignore individual rights.

I personally sympathise with this..though I'm UK born. I was charged for a free teacher training course that it was impossible to prevent paying for, because the government can take cash directly out of your salary even if you are in dispute. I fought the government for 4 years to legally bring my wife into the country under European freedom of movement. You realise when it comes to politics the government don't care about the law, and they can fight in the courts forever because they have endless tax payers cash. When my wife had depression and became violent, I tried to get help, and being a man authorities(social services) ignored police reports and photos (I'd been stabbed a couple of times) and considered me the problem. Absolutely no due process I'm sure many people are in my position of seeing how the law is empty because the authorities break the law, ignore the law and have made it extremely difficult for the average person to get justice. Indeed now I live off grid in Africa and finally feel some freedom. Indeed I never realised how absolutely crazy and ruthlessly controlling the UK is until I lived in Africa for a while.

So, this film is important. But it isn't exciting. Definitely slow burn. Feel like it's balanced cos this guy is definitely on the fringe and occasionally pushes into unacceptable territory, but it does tie in to something I'm sure many in the west feel today - the need to bow your head to oppressive government that isn't quite following the law.