Southern Movies That Nailed It

If you were born and raised below the Mason Dixon Line, it’s hard to not cringe when Hollywood tries to do its own interpretation of the south. The bad accents, the actors’ overabundance of sweat (despite what you’ve heard, we do own air conditioners), and the stereotype that southerners aren’t the brightest crayons in the box. Despite the negative light that Tinsel Town sometimes sheds on our part of the country, they do tend to get it right.

Steel Magnolias

This movie is a journey of love, loss and gossip as shown through lives of six southern women in Louisiana in the 1980s. Full of southern sass, watching it is almost like a rite of passage for southern women.

Gone with the Wind

Chances are you’ve probably heard the famous quote, “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” Well, you should give a damn about this historical southern tale. It beautifully illustrates the life of southern belle Scarlett O’Hara and the struggle of the south during the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Forrest Gump

This six-time Academy Awarding winning southern classic follows the life of a simple Alabama man who seems to find his way into several 20th century historical moments. From Gump’s time as football player at Alabama, his time served in the Vietnam War to owning his own shrimp boat this is touted as one of the best films of all time.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Whether you are from the south or not (and bless your heart if you are not) the book version of this film was probably required reading during summer break. Set in rural Alabama in the 1930s, the story depicts racial inequality in the south as seen through the eyes of a young Jean Louise Finch (Scout).

Fried Green Tomatoes

Food and friendship, oh and a murder. But don’t let that scare you away from this drama about female friendship and the sacrifices people make for their friends. Oscar winners Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy lead this southern journey but we all know the real stars of this film are those fried green tomatoes.

Sweet Home Alabama

Southern darling Reese Witherspoon did the us a favor with this cinematic southern favorite. She showed her natural southern side while proving that Alabama and its people are truly one of a kind. Who can forget the way she politely said, “Look at you, you have a baby…In a bar.”

O, Brother Where Art Thou?

May I be biased for a moment? This movie is a gem. While some may think this is a current adaption of the south, it does give peek into how life was in rural Mississippi during the depression era. Loosely based on Homer’s “The Odyssey”, this film also includes a stellar soundtrack.
So, curl up on the couch with a plate of fried chicken and sweet tea and grab your best Yankee buddy so you can educate them on all that is southern.