THE STORY – A father and son who identify as Sovereign Citizens, a group of anti-government extremists, find themselves in a standoff with a chief of police that sets off a manhunt.
THE CAST – Nick Offerman, Jacob Tremblay, Dennis Quaid, Martha Plimpton, Thomas Mann, Nancy Travis & Keiza DeCosta
THE TEAM – Christian Swegal (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 100 Minutes
In the fifteen years since the events of Christian Swegal’s “Sovereign” took place, it feels like the world has only become more mad, as surely the minds of Americans have gone further down the drain. Facts have slowly begun to lose their basis in truth as people choose whatever to believe as long as it reinforces their incoherent talking points. Social media has further pushed this line to a breaking point, as AI continues to trick anyone who doesn’t take a second to comprehend what they are watching. It’s admirable that Swegal’s debut feature hopes to dive into the core of how this type of thinking erodes the relationships of those around and how it’s pushed onto the next generation.
Swegal’s approach to this true crime story is quite measured, making audiences spend the majority of the film understanding the intricacies of Joe and Jerry Kane’s (played by Jacob Tremblay and Nick Offerman) relationship. The Kane family is left in a predicament as their house will soon be foreclosed due to Jerry’s misguided negligence in paying the bills necessary to keep them housed. Joe, who’s “homeschooled,” spends his days learning what Jerry deems the truth as Jerry pushes the principles of the Sovereign Citizens movement. To Jerry, laws are merely a method of control from the government that holds no bounds on him and only impedes his freedoms. It’s a dangerous methodology that Jerry has managed to turn into a grift, traveling the country to sell people swirling down this pipeline of misinformation, a whole bunch of drivel. Joe’s impressionability soon begins to wear thin, though, after a heartwarming attempt at bonding with his father on the road morphs into an internalized war for the freedom of his mind and soul. Swegal’s work as both a writer and director is at its best when it’s an examination of a young man experiencing the disillusionment of the propaganda that has been forced upon him since he was a young child.
Audiences familiar with Offerman, an actor who has always maintained consistency in his work, witness him continuing to master the specific niche of portraying anti-government psychos. Swegal lets Offerman tap into a deadbeat maliciousness that is residually sitting inside of Jerry. Every passing moment, every inconvenience, whether it’s from the authorities or even his son, only builds upon each other. He’s a ticking time bomb that could blow at any second, bringing down whoever is in his path. Swegal’s writing works so well when Offerman performs extensive monologues at these seminars, as audiences listen to Jerry pontificate to desperate souls looking for some sliver of hope. Viewers are left wondering if any of what Jerry is spouting is actually based on some legal precedent. The act of having the audience questioning these themes walks a thin line that has them understanding these victims, if even for a moment, before rational thinking kicks in, like cold water to the face. Tremblay, another consistent actor, especially for how much he’s done at such a young age, is solid in the film, as his work is far more reserved until the final act. It’s a heartbreaking performance as Tremblay easily sells audiences on this kid yearning for a life different from his dad. One that, at times, he experiences, whether it’s playing basketball with kids, reading normal textbooks, etc. All of which is fleeting as Jerry keeps pulling him back in.
Swegal’s screenplay is structured in a way that reinforces his theme that the impact fathers can have on their sons is immeasurable. For many children, their father is their hero and someone they aspire to be similar to when forming their own identity. When “Sovereign” isn’t focused on the Kane family, it shifts its attention to Dennis Quaid’s Police Chief, John Bouchart. His son, Adam Bouchart (played by Thomas Mann), is a recent police academy graduate and father of an uncontrollable newborn. Swegal shows the differences in fatherhood from one that is dysfunctional to one that is considered normal but still bound by the rigidity of displaying emotions. Quaid’s character throws a playful jab or two at his son, doesn’t tell him he loves him enough, and gives advice on how he should let his child cry to sleep. These two duos soon become intertwined with one another, only reinforcing how one’s dangerous beliefs can affect more than themselves. While Quaid and Mann are solid, their dynamic, while mostly integrated into the narrative well, is nowhere near as engaging as the Kane family. It’s clear what Swegal is implying from their presence, but even with John’s flaws, he’s very much presented as a good father, with not enough shown to understand Adam’s perspective of him.
Swegal’s screenplay, while maintaining a measured pace, is often distracted by various moments, one of which is the inclusion of Martha Plimpton’s Lesley Ann, which is only there to show more surface-level revelations of Jerry’s contradictions that he lives by. There’s even a whole storyline of Joe constantly checking in on his neighbor, a young girl named Candace, played by Keiza DeCosta. Her involvement has no primary emphasis on Joe as a character besides being used as a shallow embodiment of normalcy, something absent from Joe’s life due to his father. All of this builds to an impactful conclusion that manages to get “Sovereign” back on track. The intentionality behind many of Swegal’s creative decisions leads to a film that, while moving in the moment, may be lost on others. It’s a solid drama that only reminds people how much worse everything is now. If that final shot means anything, hopefully, there’s time to change it for the next generation.
