20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm the straight guy that went to humboldt state university!, February 3, 2009
Honestly - I bought this movie without really reading the reviews - I just made sure it had plenty of good scenes showing northern california and I bought it. I spent a couple of years attending Humboldt State University - I ran on the track team - rode my mountain bike in the forest, and made some friends. I didn't smoke or wear flowery girlie shirts. I didn't run away to Moonstone beach to "find myself." I debated the NORML people on campus and got into plenty of arguments with the hippies from Los Angeles.
I gotta say - I loved this movie. This movie did not go "where I thought it was going to go." This movie was not a pro-marijuana advertisement, nor was it an anti-drug propaganda. This movie really showed both sides of the debate for the legalization of marijuana - but, moreover, this movie showed how "other people" live in our country. How escaping accepted society can open your eyes - how staying true to who you are is really the best drug.
This film falls into my category of "thank god a rich hollywood producer didn't make this film" category. You know, like the movies coming out of mexico and spain - and now of-course slumdog. These are the types of movies that have high paid actors and hollywood producers scared. They gotta be getting scared because these movies are, in my humble(d) opinion, far better than the sewage coming out of hollywood.
Get the movie - you'll like it.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Caught me off gaurd, April 23, 2009
Being a stoner my self, I did not know what this movie was about. This movie takes a different look at those people who smoke pot. Its shows they're really just normal people like every one else. Not sure what else to say really but, its got a good message i guess and it touches the heart. Deff. a good flick. Check it out fo sho
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
an incredible coming of age story with the true meaning of "family", March 13, 2009
On the surface, Humboldt County is about a nerdish young medical student brushing up against marijuana farmers; but it's really a coming of age story in many ways. It's also a rather moving story. The acting is superlative and the cinematography couldn't have been better. The choreography for chase scenes is very well done; and the plot moves along at a good pace although perhaps just a few minutes could have been cut from the first hour or so of the movie.
When the action starts, we meet a young medical student, Peter Hadley, who is taking a final exam to pass medical school and get into a top notch medical residency program. Unfortunately Peter's professor--who is also his father--fails him because Peter prescribes the wrong medicine and treatment for the make-believe patient. Just before she leaves, the make-believe patient hands Peter a flyer about her jazz performance that night. Peter spends the night in the jazz club trying to feel better and he also has some romantic time alone with Bogart.
The next morning, Peter decides to go to Bogart's home with her even though he's way too sleepy to even ask where "home" is. As it turns out, her home is in Humboldt County in Northern California where many people grow and even farm marijuana. Peter is at first shocked and almost mortified by the whole thing--and things only get worse for Peter when he learns that Bogart has left the house where several people live and nobody knows when she'll return.
At first Peter is desperate to return to Los Angeles, but over time Peter learns to have increasing respect and compassion for these marijuana farmers who live off the land, respect each other and, in their own ways, love each other as one big extended family. A loving family is something Peter never had at all when he grew up; and slowly he enjoys being with them more and more. However, as the movie progresses there are some not so happy events as well.
What happens when Peter's father finally tracks him down and wants him to return to Los Angeles with him? What about the people Peter meets--Max, the young girl Charity, Jack and Rosie who "escaped" from UCLA where Peter attended medical school and Jack once taught physics, Bob and Steve? Will the marijuana farmers ever be caught by the feds? Will the local police catch them instead? Watch and find out!
There are a couple of bonus featurettes about making the movie but they're done in a way that pokes fun somewhat at this type of bonus feature. We do get some deleted scenes as well.
Humboldt County has a compelling message about accepting life the way it actually is, the true meaning of growing up and discovering what you really want to do with your life. It also delivers a strong message about the unconventional meaning of "family" as well. I highly recommend this film.
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