John Sayles gives us one of the greatest peeks into the American labor struggle and the people who struggled for justice on the job. "Matewan" captures the hopes, fears and passions of working people from a variety of backgrounds. The image of David Strathairn's sheriff confronting the hired company goons (Kevin Tighe and Gordon Clapp) is unforgettable. I suppose I could go on and on but I will just leave it with this thought: "Matewan" is an American film-making masterpiece and Mr. Sayles is it's greatest director.