CNS Movie Review: North Country

North Country

By David DiCerto
Catholic News Service

NEW YORK (CNS) -- A fitting tag line for director Niki Caro's sterling "North Country" (Warner Bros.) could have been: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied."

So shall those looking for a film with a compelling story and forceful performances.

Inspired by real events, "North Country" is a social-conscience drama along the lines of "Erin Brockovich," "Silkwood" and "Norma Rae." Like those films, it has a strong, central, working-class female character.

Following her Academy Award-winning turn as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in "Monster," Charlize Theron once again forgoes the glamour and plays it plain as the struggling single mom of two, Josey Aimes.

Bookended by courtroom proceedings, the film shuttles back and forth in time as it tells Josey's story, which begins with her fleeing an abusive marriage and winding up on the doorstep of her parents, Hank (Richard Jenkins) and Alice (Sissy Spacek).

With no better-paying options, Josey puts on a hard hat and goes to work in the local iron mine, much to the disapproval of her father. Decent but roughhewn, Hank -- a lifelong miner -- holds that "the pit" is no place for a woman, a view adamantly shared by the northern Minnesota quarry's predominantly male workforce. Much of Hank's anger stems from long-simmering anguish over Josey's earlier sexual indiscretions (both children born out of wedlock), which he feels "shamed" the family.

Work in the mine is backbreaking, but physical exhaustion is the least of her problems as the abuse to which she and the other women are subjected escalates from locker-room pranks and inappropriate sexual remarks (some quite explicit) to outright intimidation.

Josey brings her grievances to her foreman, but is told to "work hard, keep your mouth shut, and take it like a man." Her appeal to corporate management only makes matters worse, fueling the men's hostility.

Frustratingly, her efforts to rally the women are met with resistance for fear of repercussions. Pushed to the brink, Josey decides to take a stand and, with the help of a sympathetic lawyer (Woody Harrelson), files a landmark sexual harassment case against the mining company, whose CEO in turn tries to discredit her by dredging up a traumatic incident from her past.

Registering a calibrated blend of vulnerability and pugnacity, Theron's affecting performance -- complete with convincing Minnesota cadence -- is even more impressive than her physique-transforming work in "Monster" and could well earn her a second Oscar, putting to bed any lingering doubts about her acting chops.

A solid supporting cast includes Frances McDormand, Sean Bean, Jeremy Renner and Michelle Monaghan.

Chris Menges' naturalistic cinematography captures the gritty industrial milieu as well as the bleak beauty of the region's snowy vistas.

The blue-collar setting could have used a bit more texture and the final court scene skirts with melodrama, but those are minor quibbles in what is a very fine film.

At its heart, "North Country" is about a mother trying to provide for her children. And while it deals with issues of gender discrimination, it is not a "woman's film" with male-bashing intent, but a thoughtful and deeply moving film that explores themes of justice, family and community.

During an emotional exchange with her detached teenage son (Thomas Curtis), Josey has a beautiful monologue that will no doubt resonate with pro-life advocates and seems consistent with her identified Catholic upbringing.

In his first Sunday blessing as pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI prayed that working conditions "will respect always the dignity of the human person." This film makes a potent case for that end.

The film contains scenes of workplace harassment including lewd comments and humor plus obscene graffiti, groping and assorted other malicious mischief involving scatological and sex gags, implied spousal abuse, a suggested rape, and recurring rough and crude language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted.

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DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

END

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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