| Overall Grade: |
A+ |
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| Story: |
A+ |
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| Acting: |
A+ |
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| Direction: |
A+ |
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| Visuals: |
A+ |
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Masterful performances
by guy (movies profile)
Jun 19, 2007
7
of
7 people found this review helpful
Elizabeth Reaser, as Inge Amundson, her mail order betrothal gone awry, speaking only German in a Norwegian and English speaking farm town, stares down indignity with dignity and inhumanity with humanity, as her hauntingly beautiful eyes convey the thoughts and emotions that her words cannot. Ms. Reaser has mastered the art of expression as few actresses ever have.
Opposite Ms Reaser, Tim Guinee's performance as stoic Norwegian farmer, a warm loaf of hard crusted peasant bread, Mr. Guinee meets Ms. Reaser eyeball to eyeball. The story would seemingly be flawed - what possible reason could this lovely, charming German girl have to love this man? Mr. Guinee solves that dilemma by portraying the deep complexity of Norwegian pioneer tighly bound up with sincere faith, need for order and deeply felt moral code, with few words. Remarkably, with meaningful gesture, a stiff character on the outside is adeptly portrayed to show Olaf Torvik's quiet inner rightiousness. With few words Mr. Guinee conveys a genuine goodness that holds Inga to this inhospitable and humilating place.
As Frandsen, Alan Cumming is delghtful. A manchild, somewhat resembling a PeeWee Herman of the Prairie, Mr. Cumming elevates hapless to heroic in his portrayal of the conflcted simple minded man, supporting a friend cast out by the simple minded community.
Performances by Alex Kingston as pie baking, baby dropping American farm lady, and Ned Beatty as heartless country banker, weave social complexity into this tightly written story. John Heard's country minister is quietly hilarious, yet profoundly genuine. Lois Smith as Olga late in life is sweet and complicated, following Ms. Reaser's lead of speaking with her eyes. Paul Sand, cameo role as Fransen in old age, is superbly cast, as Mr. Sand and Mr. Cumming both have those saucer eyes that drip with a sad tenderness, and a small yet uplifting smile.
This is a film with a story worth hearing, and performances worth seeing. Ali Salim is a new master of film making. |
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