Review of South

Though initially feeling like poverty porn, South moves into a much more complex place when it is revealed that James Byrd Jr was murdered days into her filming in Jasper, TX. Through shots of his memorial, sheriff interviews, family member testimonial, wide angle shots, settings, and expert opinions Akerman weaves together the story of racial tension in Jasper, and the ways it's viewed by the residents there. She toes the line of poverty porn excellently, and comes out with a moving, sad, realistic (I think) depiction of life in the rural south.