Barn Burning

Based on William Faulkner's classic short story, Barn Burning is a tale of one young boy's lost illusions. Sarty Snopes (Shawn Whittington) is caught between filial loyalty and adherence to a higher sense of justice when his father Ab (Tommy Lee Jones) sets fire to the barn of his employer. Ab, a bullying, shiftless kind of guy, is quick to anger, whether the object be an employer, his wife, or one of the children from the sprawling Snopes' clan. When the Snopes take on a new position as tenant sharecroppers for a rich landlord, Sarty watches in frustration as Ab's cycle of violence begins again. At the 11th hour, Sarty has to make a decision for either kin or justice. Peter Werner's direction aptly captures the atmosphere of Faulkner's tale, and Horton Foote's (Tender Mercies) screenplay closely follows the original. Highly recommended for young adults and up. (Available from most distributors.)