Sorry, this movie sucks

A Major Disappointment

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

While I do strongly believe that Viola's tale has a significant place in women's history, I can not recommend this film for a couple of reasons. The most apparent one to me was this film's lack of focus. One minute it talks about how Viola's death has affected her family, then the next it shows the son discussing the Second Amendment and the Patriot Act. I did not see the relevance these topics had on Viola's life.The other problem that I had with the documentary was the conspiracy theories strewn throughout the movie. The were not quite believable. Then after the documentary was shown to my class, a professor at my university, who was interviewed in the documentary, said that most of the movie's conclusions were gross exaggerations or flat out lies. The "accusations" that Viola's husband was a teamster with mob ties turned out to be entirely true. He was arrested for insurance fraud after burning down a friend's house for the money. The claim that Viola's son went "underground" after 9/11 was untrue. He appeared at several premiers of this documentary. My professor even talked to him to get Viola's notes for a book he was writing, and this son tried to charge him a large amount of money for access.The major mistake that the director made was allowing Viola's family to hijack Viola's story so that they could tell their own paranoid conspiracy theories on the FBI, government and the Second Amendment. A much more interesting piece would be focus on Viola, her beliefs and the ultimate sacrifice that she made for civil rights.

A complicated story that touches us in so many different ways. Sad and yet inspiring, it demonstrates the spirit of the true American patriots. In addition, it is the story of a woman who actions would not stand out today but were uncommon and unacceptable in her time. You also have a deeply personal perspective from Viola's children, who courageously expose themselves as they tell their story. They lost their Mother, say her character assassinated, uncovered the abuse of J. Edgar Hoover and sued the FBI, but moreover sought to be reunited with the Mother who raised them. A heartbreaking story of the cost of standing up against injustice.The film holds your attention and leaves you stunned.

This is a story which is long overdue! Director Paola Di Florio does an excellent job of telling this riveting story. It is a real eye opener to all fellow Americans who look to our government to serve and protect. The one thing I have learned from this story is to "QUESTION EVERYTHING!!!. Every American citizen should see this film, it is a film that tells a story of a woman dedicated to truly living the constitution of the United States, and loving all human beings regardless of race or creed. Her family is truly blessed with the beautiful legacy left by their mother. I feel the perspectives given by the four grown children in the film, bring a very personal aspect to the film, and help the viewers understand exactly who Viola Liuzzo really was.

This was a compelling and emotional documentary, and woke me up to how white folks involved themselves in the rights movement at great personal risk. Viola Liuzzo really "didn't have a dog in this fight" yet despite her family obligations felt strongly enough about the injustices in the South to get involved. I met Mary Stanton, the author of "From Selma to Sorrow", the book the documentary was based upon at the premiere showing. I was so impressed with her passion she had for Viola's untold story and the way she researched the material, I bought and am reading the book. The documentary took a slightly different tact than the author, in that much of the film was seen through the eyes of Viola's children, especially her daughter Mary. This added a good deal of human interest.