Take a Trip to "North Country" By Lonnie Young, 11.03.05
After I told my neighbor that I had seen the Warner Brothers drama “North Country,” he looked at me out of the corner of his eye and asked, “That’s a chick movie isn’t it?”
No, not quite.
The story revolves around mother of two Josey Aimes (Charlize Theron), who has to return home to live with her parents in northern Minnesota. Although she returns to a kind mother (Sissy Specek), her father (Richard Jenkins) had been embittered over Josey’s unexpected pregnancy as a teenager.
Her father is just as emotionally abusive towards Josey as her husband was physically abusive.
After being reunited with an old female friend (Frances McDormand), Josey takes her friend’s offer to work with her at the male dominated coalmine.
Josey not only has to deal with an embarrassed father who also works at the plant, but blatant sexual harassment from most of her male coworkers. In addition, Josey has to try and control a teenage son who is connected to a dark past – one which she tried to escape years before.
Directed by Nikki Caro, the film does a great job of making the audience care about what Josey goes through. Josey is worthy of empathy as she shows courage in the face of so much adversity. She makes very brave decisions, despite her inner and outer turmoil.
Based on a true event, “North Country” is a must see because you will leave the theatre with a lot to think about. It is rated R because of language, but mainly because of sexual harassment scenes.
If a “chick” movie is one that gets the best of your emotions, then bring plenty of tissue to this great film. “North Country” was well acted, and the characters were believable.
I would be reluctant to recommend North Country to any of my male friends, since it is a female centered movie that deals with serious and real female issues. Nevertheless, any opened minded male would find plenty of heroes to cheer in this movie.
I was impressed with this movie because it was not just shallow entertainment as many movies are these days, but it had depth and substance.
