NOT FOR PUBLICATION TILL THE FALL 

Saw the first recruit screening of NORTH COUNTRY tonight starring Charlize 
Theron, Sissy Spacek, Frances McDormand and Sean Bean (sigh)

The film is the story of the first sexual harassment class action lawsuit 
from a group of Women working at a Mill in Minnesota, which prompted all 
companies to comply with Sexual Harassment laws.

In general, I think this film could be a really outstanding film.  It ain't 
quite there yet, though....

My take on it:

The film is shot beautifully.  The photography is truly breathtaking.  
Sometimes the crane shots do take far too much time, and the same feeling could 
probably be achieved with a significantly shorter shot.

Obviously the subject matter is heavy and very dramatic.  But as it is a 
Warner Bros. film, it falls into the usual WB pattern.  The powers that be at WB 
don't quite get the concept that you actual have to move the storyline along 
with the scenes.  They cut films and shoot films in such a way that there are 
nice scenes with nice emotion but there is no pacing and no sense of continuity 
in the scenes.  It is nice to see a dramatic crying scene, but you really 
don't have to hit us over the head with it, just let the drama play out, don't 
play heavy handed about it.

The acting is really top notch, I must say.

Charlize Theron, in my opinion is a really good actress who is often misused 
in films.  I think she does a really admirable job in this film with a kind of 
nothing role.  I know she is the lead and is in most of the scenes, but 
honestly I think there were maybe 2 scenes where she DOESN'T cry.  Now obviously 
she is doing what she should, but I was so tired of seeing her cry by the end I 
thought I was going to scream.  And another thing - why when you put her in a 
film when you want her to "really act" do you have to make her look ugly?!  I 
mean many people make reference to the fact that her character is the 
prettiest girl in the area, so why do you have to try to make her look ugly?! I just 
don't understand that.

Frances McDormand is outstanding as a woman suffering from Lou Gherig's 
disease.  She is always outstanding and great to watch, she is just so natural.  
She continues this tradition here.

Sissy Spacek and Richard Jenkins are wonderful as Theron's parents, they have 
wonderful character arcs and are really believable in their roles.

Sean Bean - what can I say - LOVE HIM- I never really saw the appeal of 
flannel and denim .....until now.  He is really great here, very understated but it 
just hits you how good he is.  He is a wonderful partner to McDormand's 
character and wonderful caregiver to a sick woman and gives a very heartfelt 
performance.  There is one scene where Bean has a scene with Theron's son about how 
much his mother loves him and how he should realize that.  He plays it so 
well, he doesn't yell, he just reasons with this kid and I found myself wondering 
if this is what he is like with his own kids.  What a good father, not that I 
am biased or anything....

The other thing that bothered me was the time period.  The film is supossedly 
set in 1989, but the wardrobe and music to me seemed more early 80's and was 
somewhat out of place for the viewers.

The studio seems to think there will be lots of Oscar buzz about this film, 
right now I don't see it.  Hopefully, they can take some of the comments from 
the audience and fix some of the problems and they just might have it.

It is for sure worth seeing if you don't mind the subject matter and don't 
mind the depression that surrounds the issue.

Suz

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