I also feared that this would be one of those films that romanticise country life to the point of making it almost unrecognisable. It's not the case -- yes, the hardships are mostly glossed over, but at least all of the locations and tools are real, and there are a few hints to how difficult it is for organic farming to be recognized by the old guard.
I would have liked to see the women shown as more than "kind and supporting their men", especially after that impressive first scene, where a woman dramatically arrives in a snowstorm at the milk farmer's home and is proposed to immediately. It's unfortunate that this has no impact on the story whatsoever (and I don't think we ever get to know why she came there at that time) -- and I wish the writer (who is also the director) had been more honest and either written out the female characters entirely or given them more to "do". It's especially jarring as each and every one of the five farmers get a unique character and an interesting backstory.
Overall, despite the shortcomings, it's not a boring film, which is mostly because of the the beautifully filmed landscape and the outstanding performances of the high-class actors.
Was it good?
It was a good representative for its genre, not too preachy and with beautiful landscapes and excellent acting.
Did I like it?
I'm not a fan of the genre, I admit, and if not for JFF Theater making this available, I wouldn't think to seek it out. That said, I enjoyed it for what it was.
Would I recommend it?
If you like films about community, good food and a beautifully filmed country side, then this is absolutely a film not to be missed.
Was this review helpful to you?
