A sincere, slow-moving, occasionally successful film devoted to one specific homefront story. That, in itself, is noteworthy.

My reservations about Copperhead are outweighed by the noble intentions that inspired it.

Named for a slur used against Northerners who opposed waging war on the South, the film works best when focused on Abner Beech (Billy Campbell), whose conscience-driven minority opinion makes him a pariah in his upstate New York village.

The story offers uncommon insights on the endlessly parsed period in history, but its execution sometimes falls short. Both the production quality and the persistent, sentimental soundtrack create a made-for-TV feel.

It’s a maudlin, meandering bit of moviemaking that sheds little light on the loyal opposition in the North.