"There are an abundance of outstanding performances in the uneven dramatic thriller Freedomland, with leads Samuel L. Jackson and Julianne Moore leading the way for a string of strong actors. The disappointment comes in the telling of the tale and getting all those performances on the same page. The movie is based on a dense novel by the talented and highly acclaimed writer Richard Price (who adapted the screenplay); the setting is a fictional town in Northern New Jersey and the low-income housing complex at its heart.
As a housing project cop who's respected for keeping the peace and being fair with the residents, Lorenzo Council (Jackson) stumbles onto the case of an apparent carjacking and child abduction one night that throws the projects into turmoil. But there's something fishy in the details Brenda Martin (Moore) slowly brings to light regarding her abductor and her missing child. Jackson and Moore deliver a series of superbly nuanced monologues with varying degrees of passion, but the story can't always keep up with their talky exposition.
Most of the burden lies with director Joe Roth, who sometimes finds it hard to make the intricacies of Price's screenplay lively enough. Even so, Freedomland is a serious commentary about racial tension and personal emotion. Supporting players Edie Falco (of The Sopranos fame) and the grandly aging character actor William Forsythe as Lorenzo's partner add greatly to this valiant attempt at a deep dramatic statement."