That Beautiful Somewhere (2007)

You won't be disappointed!

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

"That Beautiful Somewhere" is a Canadian film from 2006, shot in North Bay and Temagami, Ontario. It's part mystery and part love story. I don't mean "mystery" in the conventional sense, but in the sense that the film has a mysterious ambiance and there's a mysterious death, albeit from the distant past. The plot revolves around some remains found in a marsh with supposed healing powers, the archaeologist and cop assigned to the case, and some Native Americans.The reason I bought the DVD is because the cover makes it look like a film I'd like. I do like it, but not enough to give it anything more than a 6/10 rating. The locations, cinematography, acting and overall atmosphere of the film are top-rate, but certain factors in the story pull down my rating. The biggest being the ending and its sudden surprise; it destroys what was building up to that point.I guess if you reflect on it, though, it all makes sense and there's some spiritual typology.What I like most is the film's mysterious and beautiful aura. There's a palpable reverence. Plus I enjoy seeing this remote part of Canada. But the story -- while okay -- isn't all that compelling and the ending does it in.Still, it's not bad. It's worthwhile if you like this type of fare.GRADE: C+ or B-

I am always worried when I see a movie that is going to depict what life is like for people with chronic migraine. Most of the time it is represented in a terrible and false way that does some harm to those of us that struggle with severe pain. This movie showed migraine in the most truthful way I have ever seen. It was hard for me to watch it at times, because it was so familiar. Besides being a beautiful looking movie, and having such good actors - I really want to applaud the honesty of the film - even though it was a supernatural story in some ways. It is a great movie. Thank you for making this, and for being so truthful about this condition.

This is a film that could have been great.It has an interesting premise and theoretically complicated characters; however, in execution it gets almost everything wrong.The script is terrible. Character development is introduced with a heavy hand and a total lack of imagination, and dialog is clunky at best.The acting is sub-par. The male lead is competent, and though the leading lady is quite pretty, she's only adept at acting sick and vomiting endlessly. Very little chemistry exists between the two.The only redeeming factor of the film is its cinematography, which is absolutely breathtaking. It's as if the director found his setting first and decided it was so breathtakingly gorgeous he should track down a story that he could fit to it.Probably the only reason to check this out is to see some really beautiful landscape shots, and even then, after the first fifteen minutes they seem few and far between.

The Beautiful Somewhere raises interesting questions about sacrifice and redemption, especially in regards to Conk's actions which leave the viewer wondering about the purity of his motives. The cinematography of the North is beautiful but seems like mere delicious icing on a fairly well baked cake. Unlike Terrence Malick's engagement with nature, where it becomes a character within the film, in The Beautiful Somewhere it remains merely beautiful. I was glad that the film didn't detour into hokey naturalistic transcendentalism leaving us with the tired nature good, civilization (esp. Catholicism) bad dichotomy. My only other complaint about the film was that the relationship between Conk and Catherine needed to develop further. A cold relationship warmed too easily and too quickly. I wasn't looking for answers but for more complexity.