Sovereign

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Sovereign

R

2025

1h 40m

Action

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

74 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Inspired by real events, SOVEREIGN is a tense and provocative true crime thriller about a father and his teenage son -- Jerry and Joseph Kane (Nick Offerman and Jacob Tremblay) -- who follow the Sovereign Citizen belief system, a deeply anti-establishment worldview rooted in distrust of government authority. As the pair travel across the country delivering self-taught legal seminars and pushing back against systems they believe have failed them, their journey brings them into conflict with Police Chief Jim Bouchart (Dennis Quaid), setting off a tragic chain of events that forces a reckoning with power, principle, and the limits of freedom.

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Critics Consensus

A nerve-jangling thriller that exposes how reactionary extremism can lead to a road of destruction, Sovereign is ruled by Nick Offerman's unforgettably unhinged performance.

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Audience Says

Searingly brought to life by Nick Offerman and Jacob Tremblay, Sovereign reigns as a gut-wrenching true-crime drama that cuts deep into the heart of justice.

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Cath Clarke

Guardian

Sep 11

3/5

This is muscular stuff, with a firm grip on your attention.

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William Bibbiani

TheWrap

07/13/2025

Some of [Nick] Offerman’s most complex and disturbing work.

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Owen Gleiberman

Variety

07/11/2025

The movie is a real-world thriller that’s also a riveting character study that’s also a portrait of the place where the reactionary politics of today curdles into obsession.

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Cameron Ritter

InSession Film

Jul 6

B+

It’s full of suspense, dread, and great performances from its two leads. Sovereign was a stand-out at the 2025 Tribeca Festival and I hope it becomes more than just one of the many hidden gems to be released this year.

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John Serba

Decider

Nov 13

Sovereign is an intense, tough but worthy drama.

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John Stark

Mac the Movie Guy

Oct 31

83/100

Nick Offerman carries Sovereign, a thriller best enjoyed if you actually know what a sovereign citizen stands for, because the film itself is a little murky on the details.

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D G

Jul 15

Powerful. The whole cast was brilliant. Well written. Beautiful cinematography. An underrated classic. I hope it gets some kind of acknowledgement during awards season.

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Jonathan D

07/15/2025

Great film, slow burn development. Brilliant acting. heartbreaking story.

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Ghederick Eshmont

07/12/2025

Compelling, but the totality is below the sum of the quality actors

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Andrew T

@RT93040567 07/12/2025

A really beautiful and thought-provoking film about the meaning of family, despair in middle america, and the human psyche

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Carlo D

@cdl666 Jul 7

Almost too painful to watch till the end, desperately hoping for a different ending. Beautiful, but too much pain for me.

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Andrew H

@Philosoraptor Jun 29

Solid film. Great acting and filmmaking all around. A somber affair. Drab cinematography matches the depressing material.

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Christian Swegal

Director

Dennis Quaid

John Bouchart

Jacob Tremblay

Joe Kane

Nick Offerman

Jerry Kane

Martha Plimpton

Lesley Ann

Nancy Travis

Patty Bouchart

Sovereign: Movie Clip - Traffic Stop

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Sovereign: Movie Clip - The Duel

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Sovereign: Teaser - Listen to Your Dad

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Sovereign: Teaser

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Synopsis

Inspired by real events, SOVEREIGN is a tense and provocative true crime thriller about a father and his teenage son -- Jerry and Joseph Kane (Nick Offerman and Jacob Tremblay) -- who follow the Sovereign Citizen belief system, a deeply anti-establishment worldview rooted in distrust of government authority. As the pair travel across the country delivering self-taught legal seminars and pushing back against systems they believe have failed them, their journey brings them into conflict with Police Chief Jim Bouchart (Dennis Quaid), setting off a tragic chain of events that forces a reckoning with power, principle, and the limits of freedom.

Director: Christian Swegal
Producer: Nick Moceri
Screenwriter: Christian Swegal
Distributor: Briarcliff Entertainment
Production Co: All Night Diner
Rating: R (Violence and Language)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 11, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 11, 2025
Runtime: 1h 40m