TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews
In 1851, the young woman Annie is married off to Simon, a nonstop jerk(who you can still somewhat understand the reasoning of... he's proud, a product of his time and pragmatic) but finds herself far more interested in his sweet brother. Divorce is an impossibility in this period, and that leaves only one option if the two are to be together. I got this on sale, as part of a deal, and was honestly surprised by its quality. The acting is pretty good, if the accents switch between not only regions but continents even in the middle of the fairly well-written dialog. This is filmed and edited reasonably well. The pace is tight, there aren't any real slow spots, and in fact this manages to tell a lot in just under 90 minutes sans credits. This goes into the themes of innocence(can it remain intact?) and guilt(who is truly responsible for what happens in this?). A lot of harsh reality in this, from nature and from "the system", and it tends to be dealt with in a believable manner. Perhaps the very conclusion is a tad "easy". Maybe they didn't think of anything better. There is a bit of strong sexuality and violence in this. I recommend this to fans of drama-thrillers. 7/10
wynnyk-2
This film elevates director Anne Wheeler into the category of top international filmmakers. See it once only for the brilliant performances of some of the finest Canadian actors. Without exception, the cast presents a beautiful, powerful rendering of the story. See it again for the smart, taut story that will have you shifting your perspectives and adjusting your reactions. And see it once more for its exquisite cinematography that leaves you craving the Canadian Prairie experience. Wheeler works with a tight crew of skilled Canadian craftspeople and their dedication to her vision helps create the intensely moving and engaging productions she consistently turns out. This film is art and entertainment and must be seen!
rlk-3
The haunting landscape could well be Minnesota and the story is reminiscent of Maud Hart Lovelace's Gentlemen from England and Karl Rolvaag's Giants in the Earth, both of whom were Minnesota authors. Besides the lead actress, Caroline Dhavernas, who is wonderful, it's fun to see Peter Wingfield and Paul Johansson in something with a little more gravitas than Highlander. Okay, Peter's Scottish accent and Paul's English? Dutch? accent left a good deal to be desired, but who cares. It is beautifully shot, with exquisite production design and costuming. Ann Wheeler built this film with lots of love. It unrolls like a tone poem written by Ingmar Bergman.
zeid
A lot of mystery in this beautiful movie as a terrible story unravels (lots of flashbacks). Very good acting, especially from the main character, played by Caroline Dhavernas, about whom Victor Hugo might have coined his famous phrase: "You're not pretty, you're worse."Loved it: 9/10
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