Movie

Matewan

1987 · 132 min

A slow-building, heartfelt historical drama that immerses you in a tense, morally charged community struggle, with moments of warmth and a powerful sense of place.

Directed by: John Sayles
Genres: Drama, History
Starring: Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell

Tagline: It takes more than guns to kill a man.
Overview: Filmed in the coal country of West Virginia, "Matewan" celebrates labor organizing in the context of a 1920s work stoppage. Union organizer, Joe Kenehan, a scab named "Few Clothes" Johnson and a sympathetic mayor and police chief heroically fight the power represented by a coal company and Matewan's vested interests so that justice and workers' rights need not take a back seat to squalid working conditions, exploitation and the bottom line.

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Search YouTube for a trailer

Stream in the UK

Amazon Prime Video

More options Data from JustWatch

Directed by: John Sayles
Genres: Drama, History
Starring: Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell

In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: earneststrength 3 of 3
tensestrength 2 of 3
melancholicstrength 2 of 3
warmstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: class
power
justice
corruption
found family
Places: small town
countryside
Era: period
Audience: adult
Form: true story
ensemble
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language mild
Violence strong
Sex mild

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	5
Horror	2
Humour	3
Realism	9
Romance	2
Tension	7
Darkness	6
Complexity	7
Emotional weight	8

Titles like Matewan

Movie

Seven Samurai

1954

A patient, deeply human epic that builds from quiet character moments to a thrilling, rain-soaked battle, leaving a bittersweet ache.

Earnest, tense · about class and justice · ensemble

Via: earnest
tense
class
justice
ensemble
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 207 min

Details

Seven SamuraiHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Judas and the Black Messiah

2021

A tense, slow-burning true story that keeps you on edge with its moral weight and tragic inevitability.

Earnest, tense · about power and justice · true story

Via: earnest
tense
power
justice
true story
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 125 min

Details

Judas and the Black MessiahHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Salt of the Earth

1954

A stark, earnest slice of working-class life that moves slowly but lands with quiet moral force.

Earnest, tense · about class and power · true story

Via: earnest
tense
class
power
true story
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 94 min

Details

Salt of the EarthHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

BlacKkKlansman

2018

A gripping, sharply funny undercover thriller that turns into a furious, heartfelt indictment of racism past and present.

Earnest, tense · about power and justice · true story

Via: earnest
tense
power
justice
true story
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 136 min

Details

BlacKkKlansmanHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Selma

2014

A solemn, stirring historical drama that immerses you in the tension and moral weight of a pivotal civil rights campaign.

Earnest, tense · about power and justice · true story

Via: earnest
tense
power
justice
true story
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 128 min

Details

SelmaHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Eight Men Out

1988

A sober, quietly angry recreation of a famous betrayal that plays like a slow tragedy of ordinary men ground down by greed.

Same director: John Sayles · Earnest, melancholic · about class and corruption · true story

Also: Same director: John Sayles
Via: earnest
melancholic
class
corruption
true story
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 120 min

Details

Eight Men OutHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Lone Star

1996

A patient, layered mystery that feels like peeling back the secrets of a town where every answer complicates the past.

Same director: John Sayles · Earnest, tense · about corruption · ensemble

Also: Same director: John Sayles
Via: earnest
tense
corruption
ensemble
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 135 min

Details

Lone StarHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

The Shawshank Redemption

1994

A patient, deeply moving story of endurance and friendship that slowly builds to a cathartic, hopeful release.

Earnest, melancholic · about justice and corruption

Via: earnest
melancholic
justice
corruption
Pacing: slow-burn
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 142 min

Details

The Shawshank RedemptionHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

The Promised Land

2023

A stark, slow-burning historical drama that immerses you in a harsh, unforgiving world, with moments of tenderness and brutal violence.

Earnest, tense · about class and power · true story

Via: earnest
tense
class
power
true story
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 127 min

Details

The Promised LandHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

The Magnificent Seven

2016

A gritty, rousing Western with explosive action, a charismatic ensemble, and a somber undercurrent of sacrifice and revenge.

Earnest, tense · about power and justice · ensemble

Via: earnest
tense
power
justice
ensemble
Pacing: brisk
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 132 min

Details

The Magnificent SevenHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Small Things Like These

2024

This is a weighty, somber watch that slowly peels back layers of societal complicity and personal conscience.

Tense, melancholic · about power and justice

Via: tense
melancholic
power
justice
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 99 min

Details

Small Things Like TheseHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

A Taxi Driver

2017

A tense, emotional ride through a dark chapter of history, balanced with warmth and humanity.

Earnest, tense · about justice · true story

Via: earnest
tense
justice
true story
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 138 min

Details

A Taxi DriverHidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

Stream

Amazon Prime Video

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres: drama, history
Directed by: John Sayles
Written by: John Sayles
Starring: Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell, Will Oldham, David Strathairn, Ken Jenkins, Kevin Tighe, Gordon Clapp
Music: Mason Daring
Cinematography: Haskell Wexler
Runtime: 132 min
Country: United States of America
Languages: English, Italian

TMDB IMDb Letterboxd Wikipedia Wikidata

Something wrong on this page? Tell us.

Matewan

How it feels

More like this

Titles like Matewan

Where to watch in the UK

Details