IMDb 6.7 2018 HD

Burden

Burden

2018
Drama
129 min R USA
6.105 / 10
6.7 IMDB

Ku Klux Klansman Mike Burden opens the Redneck Shop and KKK museum in historic Laurens, SC. He subsequently falls in love with a single mother and, under her…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Andrew Heckler
Starring
Garrett Hedlund / Andrea Riseborough / Forest Whitaker / Tom Wilkinson / Usher / Tess Harper / Anna Colwell / Austin Hébert

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

redemption transformation challenging powerful thought-provoking inspiring dramatic sensitive hopeful courageous emotional complex

Reviews

C
Chloe Adams
Apr 10, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

A truly astonishing true story, 'Burden' showcases the extraordinary potential for change within individuals. Garrett Hedlund delivers a career-defining performance as a man shedding the shackles of hate, and his journey is compellingly portrayed. Andrea Riseborough offers a…

J
Julian Thorne
Apr 10, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

'Burden' tackles a challenging true story with mixed results. Garrett Hedlund certainly commits to the role of Mike Burden, a man seeking to shed his Klan identity, and Andrea Riseborough offers a grounded presence. The film’s strength lies…

P
Penelope Davies
Apr 10, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

This is a film that demands attention. 'Burden' is a raw and unflinching look at one man's escape from the dark ideology of the Ku Klux Klan, anchored by a truly transformative performance from Garrett Hedlund. The supporting…

M
Marcus Bellweather
Apr 10, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

Based on a remarkable true story, 'Burden' attempts to chart the unlikely transformation of a Klansman into a man seeking absolution. Garrett Hedlund embodies the internal conflict with a palpable weariness, while Andrea Riseborough provides a crucial counterpoint.…

E
Eleanor Vance
Apr 10, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Garrett Hedlund delivers a compelling performance as Mike Burden, a man wrestling with his deeply ingrained racist past. The film bravely confronts the ugliness of the Ku Klux Klan, not to sensationalise, but to illuminate the arduous path…

FAQs

'Burden' approaches the sensitive subject of the Ku Klux Klan not by glorifying it, but by focusing on the personal journey of one of its former members. The film uses the Klan's ideology as a stark contrast to the protagonist's eventual transformation. It aims to explore the roots of such hate and, more importantly, the possibility of escaping it. By centering the narrative on redemption and reconciliation, the film seeks to understand the human capacity for change rather than dwelling on the organisation itself.