Northfork

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ronald h Northfork is a difficult film to describe, and it moves slowly---likely too slowly for a lot of viewers. And much of the dialogue is whispered in reverent tones, to the point where you may need to use closed captioning. It's a movie that demands a lot from the viewer. Is it worth the effort? I say yes. It's heavy on affectation, a dreamlike semi-fantasy that takes place in 1955 rural Montana. Northfork is a small town that is being evacuated because a huge hydroelectric dam is being built on its river and the entire area will be flooded and turned into a reservoir. The cast is star-studded: Nick Nolte, James Woods, Anthony Edwards, Pater Coyote, and Darryl Hannah, all playing what are probably the strangest roles of their careers. Most of the residents have moved. A team of "evacuators" has been assigned by the government to assist the stubborn few who refuse to leave—including one resident who blasts his shotgun at them and another who has built an ark. Meanwhile, an ailing young boy named Irwin (Duel Farnes) encounters four angels who are seeking another angel who is missing. Is he hallucinating or are the angels real? No spoilers here. It sounds weird, and it is. The color scheme is largely washed out greys, giving everything an ethereal quality. The cinematography by M. David Mullen is glorious, capturing the vastness of Montana. It has a lonesome, isolated effect. There are bits of wry humor, Coen brothers style, but you aren't likely to laugh out loud. You'll be too busy scratching your head in puzzlement. Brothers Mark and Michael Polish are working in the realm of magic realism. This film will fascinate those with the patience to stay with it. Others will be frustrated by the obliqueness of it all. I'm in the former group. I think films like this, that depart far from the Hollywood mainstream, are precious. I was entranced. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Many things don't fit together. Nick Nolte as a priest in a non-catholic church? Why have such old cars from the 30s and 40s yet with a 55 Chevy? Cows out on a desert? Seems to be fantasy like a Bergman movie. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Audience Member In 1955, officials try to convince reluctant residents of Northfork, Montana (one of who has built an ark) to leave before the town is flooded by new dam construction; meanwhile, a dying orphan meets a ghostly family and tries to convince them to take him with them. The mildly surreal Big Sky spirituality here may be too dry to inspire as intended, but it does set a unique and thoughtful mood. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Strange allegorical movie. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out the allegory. Loved Nick Nolte & the oddball quartet. Wish it would have been just a little more accessible while maintaining the sense of magical possibilities. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Completely disappointed. It held promise but never delivered. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member It's a strange trip, something like David Lynch and Lars von Trier with a soul. Bizarre, sometimes playing almost like a theatre piece, others with an epic scope beneath vast wastelands. A meditation on the american spirit, and it's intertwining relationship with god and spirituality. There is no character to which to relate, and none of said characters are more than abstract representations of angels, life, death, or god. So, to say it is dense, but original. Like a fever daydream. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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