North Country (2005)

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

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Charlize Theron has never been one to shy away from the painful, tortured realities of living a human life. She often goes out of her way to pick roles that cause her to express wounded characters, and then have salt rubbed in those wounds by the frank, unflinching nature of the film. North Country is a perfect example of this. She's a battered angel as Josey Aimes, a low income mother on the run from an abusive ex, back to her hometown. She finds herself needing a job, and when an old friend (Frances Mcdormand) recommends the local iron mines where she works, with the same pay and equal benefits that most of the men in town have, she takes the job. She soon realizes that women who go for that line of work are subjected to nasty bouts of sexual harassment and bullying behaviour on a daily basis by almost all of their coworkers. Jeremy Renner plays one of the offenders with appropriate sleaze, who also has ties to Josey's unfortunate past. It's tough for her and her female coworkers to be taken seriously, however, as most of the town either turns a deliberate blind eye or is so desensitized by this kind of thing which has become commonplace, that no one bats an eye. Xander Berkley is a great example, playing a casually sexist asshole of a supervisor. Josey and a vulnerable co worker (Michelle Monaghan, excellent) eventually reach the end of their ropes, and decide, against all advice, to file a lawsuit against the corporation. They are met with belligerence, indifference, cynicism and nastiness almost everywhere they turn. Mcdormand's character suffers the onset of ALS and can be of limited help to them. Sean Bean plays her introverted husband very well, stealing his scenes. Josey turns to an ex hotshot lawyer (Woody Harrelson), who reluctantly takes on the David and Goliath case she tries to present. She tragically bites off more than she can chew, however, when agonizing details from her past are brought into light as a result of the trial, providing riveting character beats for her and various other actors to live in. Sissy Spacek is warm and loving as her mother, Corey Stoll is great in an extended cameo, and there's good work from Chris Mulkey, Amber Heard, Brad William Henke, Rusty Schwimmer and more. Richard Jenkins, a criminally underrated actor, scores full points with his character arc as Josey's father, a hard bitten guy who's third act meltdown after learning the truth about his daughter's past will leave you choking back tears. It's Theron who anchors it though, her chilly, inaccessible face a twisted mask of the pain lurking behind, reflected in the eyes of everyone she interacts with. The film makes it searingly clear that trauma inflicted upon someone, no matter how many years ago, has the power to both hinder them in their future endeavours, as well make them stronger to help deal with whatever painful curveball life tosses them next. Theron conveys both these layered aspects and much more with her work, proving once again that she's an actress who can bring us to our knees time and time again with her skill.

This is a well done movie on all counts. Great performances from a bunch of top notch actors down to the smallest of roles. It's based on the true story of a single mother who filed a sexual harassment suit against the owners of a Minnesota mine where she worked in the 80's.Everything has been well executed here from the costumes to the dialogue to how you can feel the cold of Minnesota and the dirty, intimidation of the mine and its boys club. As a woman this is a super frustrating movie to watch, just vile the harassment and conditions that were deemed expectable. There are some really outstanding performances here from Theron, Renner, Jenkins and Frances Mcdormand blew me away. There's also some surprising sub plots involved. Just a super well made movie. I can't imagine being afraid to go to work. 8/21/14

Josey Aimes (Charlize Theron) is being questioned in court by the opposing counsel. She tells the story of her beating by her husband. It's 1989. She had run away with her two kids back to her parents in northern Minnesota. Her father Hank (Richard Jenkins) does not approve while her mother Alice (Sissy Spacek) is the quietly suffering type. They're both pushing her back to her husband Wayne. Glory (Frances McDormand) tells her about jobs at the iron mines with Pearson Taconite and Steel hiring. She and her kids would move in with Glory and her husband Kyle (Sean Bean). However, sexism is rampant at the company sometimes coming from the company itself. It's lewd jokes, groping and general anger. The men are not all happy. Jobs are scarce. Her father Hank works there, and also her former boyfriend Bobby Sharp (Jeremy Renner) who becomes her immediate supervisor.I know the film says it's inspired by a true story. I just find it so reminiscent of those Lifetime movies where everything goes wrong for these women. Sure there is an all star cast. In fact, Frances McDormand and Charlize Theron were nominated for Oscars. It just feels too Hollywood with supermodel Charlize Theron. I can't buy her as a miner, and I can't get fully into the movie. It would have been better with Michelle Monaghan as the lead. She has slightly more of a hot-every-woman vibe. Although she doesn't have the big name like Charlize.

Inspired by actual events, a mother of two out of necessity goes to work as a miner, but is met with outrageous and disgraceful discrimination and harassment because of her gender. With all the odds stacked against her, can she win a court case against her employers?The lead actress Charlize Theron, must surely be the best dramatic performer in the States at the moment. She is stunning and outstanding in her role.The production is first class and one can almost feel, taste and touch the mining community in the way the film is presented. The whole movie has a ring of authenticity about it and every single player gives a full throttle believable portrayal.This picture had me engrossed from start to finish:Hence deserves top or near top marks:9/10