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Empire of Dirt

Play trailer Poster for Empire of Dirt 2013 1h 39m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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60% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 70% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Lena flees to her rural hometown after her 13-year-old daughter's overdose attracts the attention of child services. She reunites with her estranged mother and is forced to face a past she has tried to ignore.
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Empire of Dirt

Critics Reviews

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Linda Barnard Toronto Star Empire of Dirt tells a traditional mothers-and-daughters story in a new way by making their Cree heritage and the role it has in their lives and relationships the true heart of the drama. Rated: 2.5/4 Nov 21, 2013 Full Review Angelo Muredda Cinema Scope Empire of Dirt is a too-neatly structured look at a couple of First Nations mother-daughter pairs coping with traumas both fresh and ancestral, whose descent into Canadian storytelling clichés is so pronounced. Nov 14, 2017 Full Review Chris Knight National Post Empire of Dirt is a simple family drama, but well crafted to fit the story it wants to tell. Rated: 3/4 Nov 21, 2013 Full Review Katherine Monk Canada.com [A] well-intentioned and finely crafted drama that explores the legacy of the love deficit created by white government intervention in First Nations communities via residential schools. Rated: 3/5 Nov 21, 2013 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...ultimately most successful as a showcase for Gee's thoroughly impressive turn as the central character. Rated: 2/4 Sep 20, 2013 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jake D Cara Gee and a young Shay Eyre excel at the complicated mother-daughter relationship that is the heart of this movie. While touching on intergenerational trauma and the struggles of young motherhood might not provide the most original character progression, sometimes all you need is Luke Kirby being a bad beau and some earnest acting choices. Also shoutout to Jordan Prentice, whose chemistry with Cara Gee made me as well as Shay Eyre's Peeka wish, only briefly, that Warren Fensky was Lena's old boyfriend. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/11/24 Full Review Audience Member Modestly made and brilliantly written, acted and produced - M.I.C. for sure! Last time I was hijacked on a Saturday night not expecting some flic on Canadian tv to wrench my guts out was TVO's airing of Newman's Nobody's Fool. or recently watching "Emile" w/ Ian McKellen - but Empire of Dirt is beyond all that - so real, so genuine... I'm embarrassed as an adult male to say it gripped me intensely - I fell in love with every character. Bravo! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Just watched this. Really good to see a film that is human, not spectacle, superhero wars and killing in general. It has a European sensibility, is very well acted and shot, explores values on many levels and has a lot to say. Recommended. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member The film is well intentioned and tries to do right by the aboriginal people, but good intentions cannot save the film from its faults. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Well developed - good story - teaches us. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Empire of Dirt

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Empire of Dirt

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Movie Info

Synopsis Lena flees to her rural hometown after her 13-year-old daughter's overdose attracts the attention of child services. She reunites with her estranged mother and is forced to face a past she has tried to ignore.
Director
Peter Stebbings
Producer
Bob Crowe, Heather K. Dahlstrom, Geoff Ewart, Jennifer Podemski
Screenwriter
Shannon Masters
Production Co
Narrow Path Productions, Redcloud Studios, Telefilm Canada
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 23, 2017
Runtime
1h 39m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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