Mikes Film Talk

Writer/Director Christian Swegal sits in the big chair for the first time with the 2025 Crime/Drama film Sovereign. This is a hard watch. It is loosely based on true events that took place in West Memphis, Arkansas in 2010. The film was shot in Northwest Arkansas in 2024 and I was able to see a few of the main cast in my hometown.

Watching this elicited a lot of mixed feelings. I was in Law Enforcement for over 17.5 years. The last 7 of which were in the state of Arkansas. We dealt with “sovereign citizens” on a semi-regular basis. I had never heard of them until I moved back to Arkansas and started working for the Sheriff’s Department.

These individuals are, to say the least, a different breed. Incredibly difficult to handle and slightly left of plumb. To say the least, they are frustrating. In this instance, they were deadly.

The real individuals murdered two men trying to do their job. Later, they shot and wounded two more.

These actions cost both the players their lives. (ABC News, CNN)

The Sovereign Story

A father and son who identify as sovereign citizens lose their home and then everything else after the son murders a patrolman and his backup.

Sovereign Cast

Dennis Quaid is John Bouchart.

Jacob Tremblay is Joe Kane.

Nick Offerman is Jerry Kane.

Martha Plimpton is Leslie Anne.

Ruby Wolf is Jess Bouchart.

Thomas Mann is Adam Bouchart.

Kezia DaCosta is Candace Jeffers.

Let’s Talk Sovereign

Christian Swegal states that he is looking at what prompts people, specifically the Kanes, to become sovereign citizens. The film attempts to show how the elder Kane was “driven” to assert his freedom from the government. Sadly, the law enforcement side of the tale is kept to a minimum. *It should also be pointed out that Bouchart jr is a rookie here. In real life, both murder victims were seasoned officers serving for 7 and 9 years respectively.*

The film does show the frustration of authorities who have to deal with these individuals. Again, sadly, it is down to one courtroom scene, one traffic stop; prior to the event, and the bank foreclosing on the house. More time is spent on the two killers journey up to the event that ended in tragedy for two officers and their families.

One Sided View

One feels that Swegal was more “in tune” with the father/son duo than with the men sworn to serve and protect. This, more than anything else, makes Sovereign a hard pill to swallow. It would have been nice for the filmmakers to have added a statement at the end about the officer’s family members.

Granted, this is not a documentary, nor a true biopic. It could be classified as a “docudrama.” Much has been added to flesh out the side of the Kanes. This was almost a necessity. As Stephen King has said, the very act of filming a “true story” (Even one only used loosely as the basis of the film.) fictionalises the story. There was no camera filming the small Kane family. We have no idea what prompted the son to start killing a West Memphis Patrolman and his backup. No record exists as to what the two discussed on their way to infamy.

It Works

As a cautionary tale alone, Sovereign works. Whether one has a law enforcement background or not, the film is a tense watch. Even if you have no idea of the real story it is loosely based on, viewers pretty much feel this is going to end in tears. To that extent, Swegal hits a home run.

DP Dustin Lane and Editor David Henry work with Swegal brilliantly to make this work. Lane’s camera work, combined with the James McAlister score, makes this film feel as sombre as its subject matter.

Offerman and Tremblay fill out their roles admirably. So to does Quaid as the Chief who loses a son. Martha Plimpton is superb in her extended cameo.

The Verdict

Sovereign earns 3 stars out of 5. It could have ranked a higher rating if a moment of mention for the dead officers, and their surviving family members had been forthcoming. The film is streaming on Hulu or it can be rented via Prime.

The Trailer