“Of all the social, cultural and political touchstones of the baby boom generation … the civil rights movement has yet to be the subject of a pivotal, defining feature film,” Ann Hornaday writes. “Here is a chapter of American life whose legacy and ramifications — from Don Imus’s idea of humor to the decisions of the current Supreme Court — are still deeply, if painfully, felt. … It’s a chapter that — considering the ever-increasing number of bankable African American stars — seems not just worthy of Hollywood’s attention but positively ideal for a major movie event.”