Synopsis
A family is torn apart during the American Civil War. Abner Beech (Billy Campbell), a righteous farmer from upstate New York, exercises his right to free speech in a time when families are divided by the Civil War.
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Cast
- François ArnaudWarner Pitts
- Billy CampbellAbner Beech
- Angus MacfadyenJee Hagadorn
- Augustus PrewNi Hagadorn
- Peter FondaAvery
- Lucy BoyntonEsther Hagadorn
- Brian DowneyPreacher Taggart
- Ryan DoucetteByron Truax
- Robbie O'NeillInspector
- Hugh ThompsonHurley
Recommendations
- 67
The Playlist
A sincere, slow-moving, occasionally successful film devoted to one specific homefront story. That, in itself, is noteworthy. - 63
Observer
My reservations about Copperhead are outweighed by the noble intentions that inspired it. - 50
The Hollywood Reporter
Named for a slur used against Northerners who opposed waging war on the South, the film works best when focused on Abner Beech (Billy Campbell), whose conscience-driven minority opinion makes him a pariah in his upstate New York village. - 50
Washington Post
The story offers uncommon insights on the endlessly parsed period in history, but its execution sometimes falls short. Both the production quality and the persistent, sentimental soundtrack create a made-for-TV feel. - 40
Arizona Republic
It’s a maudlin, meandering bit of moviemaking that sheds little light on the loyal opposition in the North. - 40
Village Voice
Director Ron Maxwell (Gettysburg, Gods and Generals) shows a flair for mythologizing via beautiful panoramas of upstate New York landscapes but less so, unfortunately, through his film's inert story and flat performances. - 40
Time Out
Given Maxwell’s dry style and fixation on 19th-century vernacular, the result is less like a peering examination of the turbulent political environment than a reenactment of a Ken Burns documentary—or a museum tour. - 25
Slant Magazine
Ron Maxwell's film, from beginning to end, exudes all the excitement of a textbook history lesson.
