Customer Reviews

Northfork

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

This film is based on the first screenplay by brothers Michael and Mark Polish, though it is the third of their trilogy to be filmed.

Set in a small Montana town in the 1950s, this is the story of town with a mythic past that is now doomed. A dam will submerge the town soon, so there is palpable, imagic tension as three storylines develop: first, a young adopted boy, dying, is returned to Fr. Harlan (Nick Nolte) as his parents leave town, so the priest keeps vigil over the youngster and comforts him as much as possible; secondly, six agents (including James Woods and Mark Polish) with a monetary incentive have been sent to roust out those landholders who refuse to budge, and they have a number of surrealistic experiences along the way; finally, whenever the young boy collapses he encounters four purported angels who seem to be searching for him.

It would be interesting to give this premise to a half dozen filmmakers and see the various movies they come up with; in the Polish brothers' case, we get a remarkable melange of images and themes -- angels, death, wings, bearing witness to each other, loneliness and human grief -- all set in a dream-like landscape. The cast is flawless, the pacing is slow (which makes it easier to enjoy the extraordinary visuals), and the stark situation is emphasized using a variety of techniques to film in color though almost always appearing to be black & white.

It's fascinating to listen to the brothers' commentary which tells us, among other things, that these guys were basically bankrupt when they made the film and that their father became the production designer because he was the only person who, when asked to build an ark, just said "How big?".

In addition to a fascinating (and essential) commentary track, extras include a series of featurettes collectively running 36 minutes and called "BareKnuckle Filmmaking: the Construction of Northfork", which delves into the genesis, production and filming of this remarkable film, including great comments from the actors; a trailer; and a Sundance Channel 4-1/2-minute featurette about the brothers in Montana, their homestate and the location of filming.

I'm amazed at the polarity of the reviews on this movie, and would suggest that if you are a person who likes straightforward narrative, this is probably not for you; however, if you enjoy life's amibiguities, mystery, symbolism and earlier Polish Brothers' films -- get this as quickly as you can. It is unique and breathtaking. These talented siblings are two of the most innovative visionaries in cinema today. When others' films are long forgotten, our grandchildren will be watching these films. These guys are totally underappreciated, and I hope they make films forever. It doesn't seem right that they have to struggle to get their works filmed, but I'm so grateful to them for all the passion and effort that they bring to their projects and with which they inspire their colleagues.

In 1955, the town of Northfork, Montana was flooded when the gates of a completed dam were closed. Against this backdrop, two related stories are told. In one, three teams of men, motivated by rewards of lakefront property, attempt to get local die-hards to move on before their homes are flooded. This story is filled with humor - visual gags, offbeat characters, and a 100% off-the-wall scene at the local diner. But there are human touches, too, as one father-and-son team argue over whether to save their wife/mother's coffin from the rising flood.
In the other story, Father Harlan (played with heart-breaking tenderness by Nick Nolte) takes care of Irwin, a young orphan who is dying. As Irwin drifts in and out of consciousness, his fevered mind creates visions of angelic beings and reunion out of the landscape and his pitifully few belongings - a model airplane, a comic book, bird feathers he's collected.
This film is very carefully crafted. The two, interleaved stories are visually unified by the "big sky" landscape and a color palette of muted blues, grays, and tans (everything - land, water, buildings, machinery, people - is color-coordinated). The transitions between the two stories deliberately link the fantasy-like character of Irwin's angelic visions with the absurd elements in the evacuation story, and at one point suggest that Irwin's dreams may not be that far off the mark. And finally, Nolte's monologue, inspired by his own experience, goes straight to the heart of the matter.
The result, for me, was a gentle and moving meditation on the inevitability of change and loss, and the grace we find through humor and acceptance. This is visual poetry, a movie to watch again and again.

Northfork (Michael Polish, 2003)

Michael and Mark Polish, the same writing team behind the delightfully twisted Twin Falls, Idaho, now unveils Northfork. I'm not sure there are enough good things I can say about this movie, and yet I feel I lost a lot in translation from the big screen.

The basic structure around which all the stories revolve is the moving of the (real) town of Northfork, Montana, to higher ground in 1955. Various subplots involve three teams of related men hired to move the locals who refuse to leave their homes; the priest who runs the local orphans' home, which is left with a sole orphan to place; and four individuals impossible to describe who are searching for a relative.

The acting in this film is simply superb, which is to be expected given its high-powered cast. James Woods, Nick Nolte, Kyle McLachlan, Claire Forlani, Daryl Hannah, Peter Coyote, Michele Hicks, Ben Foster, and Anthony Edwards, among many others, all make appearances (one wonders only why the Polish brothers didn't case their favorite actor, underrated comic genius Garrett Morris, in this one). The sound transfer to the DVD is one of the worst I've ever heard, however; the voices are mixed so painfully softly compared to the ambient sound that subtitles are a necessity in some parts of the film unless you want the cops citing you for noise violations. Use the subtitles. You want to catch what's going on.

Despite the darkness of the locations and cinematography (which lends the film a claustrophobic, ominous air throughout), the main feeling of the work is a sense of pure whimsy. Angels in Montana in 1955? Well, that would seem to be the case, along with a conspiracy to hunt them down and amputate their wings. James Woods actually says the words "Whatchoo talkin' bout, Willis?" and pulls it off. The eviction agents find themselves in increasingly absurd situations as they travel from house to house, and the orphan, who is terminally ill, orchestrates wilder and wilder delusions in his head. (Possibly. It gets hard to tell what's real and what's going on in the boy's head.) I'd be hard-pressed to call Northfork a comedy, but it contains moments of sheer comic genius.

Brilliant. ****

Reading previous reviews of this movie really make me sad. I weep at the ADD culture of modern America. The only thing that kept me from undergoing complete emotional breakdown was the fact that some people appreciated this film in the same way that I did. This is quite possibly my favorite film ever (maybe with the exception of "Waking Life" which is another film that many people can't stand to pay attention to) and it really disheartens me to see people maliciously rip it apart without really going into very much detail of why it "sucked" so much.

I'll be honest, this is kind of a hit-or-miss film. It really takes a lot of brain power to really figure out. But because it takes so much brain power to digest it, I think that this is really the type of movie worth buying on DVD. Many great films I can watch once and enjoy them very much but I don't really care if I ever watch them agian. It's the whole idea of "Been there, Done that, Got the T-shirt." Northfork is the type of film that KEEPS ON DELIVERING!!! I can watch it countless times and really get something new out of it each time. Even when I think I've got it all figured out, something new hits me that I didn't see before. It's movies like this one that are really worth owning.

Also, this film is just an absolutely beautifully executed work of cinema. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. Every single shot looks so carefully planned and fine tuned. The acting is great. The characters are intriguing, interesting and inviting. The film is just dripping with symbolism in every scene. The themes are deep and mature. This is the kind of movie that gets me going. It's absolutely captivating. Yes it's dense, yes it's complicated and yes it's absolutely beautiful.

When I say "Brain Activity Required" I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I'm not saying that anyone who didn't appreciate this movie is an idiotic bump on a log who's not worthy of life on this planet. Not at all. What I am saying is that this movie really requires a lot more of an active processes from the audience. This is a movie that requires a much different approach to watching a movie. It's sort of like reading Charles Dickens. The pace may be slow, and it may be hard to dig the meaning out of the presentation, but you really see the genius when you get it all set straight. If you want to be a passive audience, then by all means this movie is not for you. Don't waste your time with it and don't hurt my feelings when you rip it apart for being too slow or boring or convoluted. If you really want an intellectually stimulating film, the open up Northfork and enjoy it for all it's worth. And it is sure worth a lot.

What happens to us when we die? Is a final resting place really final? What defines what a home is? What is your job worth? "Northfork" tackles these any many other, more subtle, questions, and for the most part addresses them successfully, if not necessarily absolutely.

The movie begins with the premise that the entire town of Northfork must be moved to make way for a new dam. The dam is seen by some as a positive change, a provider of power for the area. Others look upon it as the concrete headstone of Norfolk. Most of the residents have been moved away by the government. Where have they all gone? We do not know for sure. A few have stayed, defiant to the end, or are simply too tired to make the trip. One man has built an Ark, and plans to float away once the water rolls across the land. Another, Father Harlan, is staying to help nurse Irwin, a sick little boy whose adoptive parents have returned him to the vicarage.

James Woods, in one of his best, most understated performances, is Walter O'Brien, one of the handful of government agents sent to Northfork in 1955 to help the people leave their homes. His son, Willis, accompanies him on this somber mission, unhappy with more than one thing pertaining to the town's impending doom. Walter's wife / Willis's mother is buried in the Northfork cemetery, and it's up to her loved ones to move her body lest it become awash in the waters of the dam. This brings to the forefront one of the most poignant storylines of the movie.

Irwin is not doing too well with his illness. Father Harlan (in another great performance by Nick Nolte) does what he can for the boy, including making him steaming cups of tea, giving him a Hercules comic to read, and a little toy plane to play with. And, of course, he prays for the child. But is it enough? For we see that there are visitors present inside one of the old abandoned houses on the outskirts of Northfork - four people who are there to determine if little Irwin is the one that they are looking for. As the movie proceeds, the boy's life is in the balance.

I liked "Northfork" quite a bit. It moves at an extremely slow pace, taking its time to set the mood, and to examine the people and occurences within the story. Sometimes we learn more about the characters by how they sit, or how they look at each other, or what they *don't* say to one another, as we would if they just inhabited a more 'normal' film. The movie is also very quirky. It reminded me, in a sense, of a David Lynch film. Unlike Mr. Lynch's incomprehensible features, however, "Northfork" resolves itself in such a way that you have a pretty good idea of what has transpired. Or do you?

The four visitors that Irwin communicates with in his feverish dreams are eccentric characters known as Happy, Cod, Cup of Tea, and Flower Hercules. Their names are reminiscent of some things which inhabit Irwin's real world. And there is a strange wooden horse/dog looking creature that stomps around the abandoned house of the four visitors, and it looks not unlike the head of the cane of Father Harlan. So -- are the four visitors real? Or are they figments of young Irwin's dying mind? If they're not real, then how does Walter O'Brien see them at one point?

"Northfork" brings up this, and many more unanswerable questions. It provides solutions, but not necessarily answers. What happens to us when we die? I'm sure the answer would be of comfort to Irwin. Is our final resting place really final? I'm sure the answer would provide no comfort to the late Mrs. O'Brien. What defines what a home is? To the people of Northfork, they must find that answer elsewhere. And what is your job worth? To Walter and Willis O'Brien, as well as the other government men in Northfork, it is the possibility of prime lake front property. Is what they do for a living worth it? Is the building of the dam worth the sacrifice the town of Northfork must make?

"Northfork" raises these issues, deals with them, but does not answer them. If you're looking for a conventional movie, then look elsewhere. If you're looking for something a little deeper, something which makes you think and feel at the same time, and which will stay with you for a long time to come, then watch this film. I guarantee you that you've never seen anything quite like it.

Northfork I saw this summer and fell in love with it. It is one of those movies which demands multiple viewings because the writing is so rich and visuals so hypnotically dense. I'm really interested in checking out the documentary on the DVD which chronicles the making of the movie.
`Northfork' has that something special that the Polish Brothers brought to "Twin Falls Idaho". But Northfork is grander and would accurately be called an epic. Shot in the Northwest (I think entirely in Montana) the movie is just striking to look at : The backdrop is the transcendent mountains of Montana photographed like never before as a haunting score swells and rises with the impending flood of the soon to be deserted town, and smack dab in the middle of the mountain grandeur is a house turned giant ark, as in Noah's Ark.
The story counterbalances the intense visuals: a town in the mid 1900's is being evacuated to make way for Government dam project. James Woods and company are sent out to remove the holdout residents. Meanwhile a dying orphan, recently adopted, is brought back to the town preacher(Nick Nolte) because his parents say he is too sick to make the journey. The boy slips in and out of surreal dream sequences with a band of hilariously dry gypsies.
Northfork really took me on a journey. It has an American heartland feel, with a very European pace. It is such a beautiful movie to look at and to ponder that the DVD will surely be part of any serious film library.

This movie is a bit like watching a dream. It is filmed intentionally, methodically and perhaps a bit pretentiously. That may sound a bit odd but it is obvious that the directors seek to present a certain look. Everything is in a muted shade of earth tones and the shots are meticulous. If you've ever been to Montana in winter you will understand. The brightest colors are the shades of gold in the fields in winter slumber. It's one of the most beautifully shot films I've seen in a long time.

As for the movie itself, it is a bit odd but not goofy. The premise is the relocation of the townsfolk of Northfork, Montana in the early to mid 50s with the ushering in of a new dam to provide power. Most of the town has left except for the few eccentric characters who remain. The state has sent in the evacuation squad to assist the remaining residents with their exodus. This proves to be not so easy. The characters - those who remain and those on the evacuation committee - are quirky enough that a movie unfolds.

Everything is one notch higher than monotone with a gorgeous score that buoys it all along gently. There are moments of comic genius that seem so due to the somber tone of the rest of the film but it never takes itself too seriously. It touches on religous themes and the whole movie kind of has a metaphysical bent to it due to the biblical nature of the coming flood.

I'm not certain I followed it completely as there are moments where it is difficult to tell what is happening and what is a dream sequence or if in fact it is either one. Grounded in real events, there is a bit of the transcendent that emerges.

It is slow to unfold. It's a good film to watch on a lazy Saturday afternoon in winter with a nice fire and a cup of tea. The cinematography is beautiful and the brand name cast (Nick Nolte, James Woods, Daryl Hannah and a few others) have rendered this a nice break from most films out there.

I loved this movie. It seemed to me to be a study, a meditation, an exploration on life and death, on the absurdity of it, on fate, on existential truths, on transience,on permanence, black humor, silly humor, utter, profound sadness, religion and being human, human spirit, soul, the love of God, detachment/attachment,loss, family, - the whole big ball o'wax - and MORE!! It seemed an amalgam of Buddhism, Christianity, nihilism - and MORE!!
Plus, it contained what I believe to be the key to it all: you may be an orphan, but you're a child of God. I loved this movie and would put it on my favorites list.

***1/2 Like the Polish Brothers' previous films ("Twin Falls Idaho" and "Jackpot"), "Northfork" divides audiences even as it baffles and bewilders them. Many will surely find this film to be slow moving, arty, pretentious and boring, while others will be intrigued by its originality and visionary quality. Either way you slice it, however, "Northfork" is an acquired taste.

It's 1955 and Northfork, a small town on the plains of Montana, is about to be wiped off the face of the earth by a gigantic flood. Only this time the destruction won't be the result of the angry hand of Providence but rather of a dam building project developed and conceived by the government in the name of "progress." Out of this simple premise, Mark and Michael Polish have crafted an elegy to the past, a tone poem that reflects the deep sadness that comes with change, abandonment and loss. To achieve their effect, the writers have incorporated large doses of Magic Realism (with heavy religious and Biblical overtones) into their narrative. While we observe the harsh realities of people being driven from their homesteads, we are also introduced to a quartet of angels who are searching for one of their number who went missing a number of years earlier. Legend has it that the town of Northfork was originally looked out for by a group of guardian angels and it is from this rather twisted and bent angle that the Polish Brothers have chosen to approach their subject.

"Northfork" is far more about mood, imagery and tone than it is about plot and character development. In fact, the characters themselves - the angels, a caring priest, a dying boy, and a father and son whose job it is to make sure no people are left behind when the land is inundated - are as subdued in tone as the film is as a whole. None of the characters ever speaks above a whisper and each comes across as moody, introspective and stolid. It is in the visuals and in the unhurried, subtle pacing of the narrative that the film achieves its power. The dry barren plains, the weather beaten houses, the violated cemeteries, and the isolated figures of men and buildings placed in stark relief against an imposing horizon - these are the images that seep inexorably into the viewer's subconscious and which make the film a stunning study in melancholy. Let it be noted, however, that there is also a modicum of hope and optimism in the story to help mitigate the sadness.

A number of big name stars have leant their talents to the project, including Nick Nolte, James Woods and Daryl Hannah. Woods, with his straight-faced, deadpan delivery, provides some much needed touches of black humor throughout the otherwise deadly serious work.

"Northfork" definitely requires that you be in a certain mood to appreciate and enjoy it. Hopefully, you'll hit it at just the right moment.

Northfork is an unconventional film. I felt my defense mechanisms on autopilot when I first saw this movie at the Angelika theater. Northfork was territory I hadn't been before and I passed judgment too quickly. Once I was able to have the patience to watch Northfork on DVD it took me down a path I could have never imagined. It's a slow movie, but it needs to be, Northfork has a lot on its plate. I can only really describe Northfork by what it is not-- A Coen brothers movie? You'll be disappointed these brothers aren't that smug. The Polish brother's characters are sympathetic, you feel when they feel. They had this beautiful quality with Twin Falls Idaho. Is Northfork more a David Lynch story, I don't believe Northfork is weird for weird sake. I think the Polish brothers allow their imaginations to roam, and their stories are too genuine not to participate. The Polish Brother's exhibit a real craft of filmmaking like the Coen's and Lynch but they're going for a much different experience. They have more to with Stanley Kubrick than probably any other filmmaker, and that may even be just for comparison sake. They have created a language all their own and as frustrating as Northfork may be to the general audience, it is a masterpiece.

Commentary by filmmakers Michael and Mark Polish is usual fair. They explain some of the mystery behind their creative choices. You get a sense that the filmmakers are at ease and appreciate moviemaking. I particularly like their accessibility to talk about their ideas, it's a nice treat.

"Bare-Knuckle Filmmaking: The Construction of Northfork " is the true gem on this DVD. Anyone who is interested in filmmaking should watch this. You really get to witness the force of the Polish brothers. Mark and Michael Polish are wonderful to watch as they set out to make their third feature. This documentary goes behind the scenes to show the audience how Northfork was made, from the birth of the screenplay to the producing of the feature film. Most movies released on DVD have some sort of "Press kit" or a basic "Behind-the-Scenes" to add to the extras, but this documentary could be sold on its own if it was longer.

The Photo gallery is as good as the cinematography. There must have been a real photographer on the set because these photographs don't look like "stills". The 40 or so pictures here are well composed shots of the cast and locations, none of them resemble shots in the movie. I'm wondering if this is from a book about Northfork?

24 Frame News segment is a small piece that was on the Sundance channel. It shows the promotional tour the filmmakers went on to promote Northfork. A good slice of the filmmakers history.

This Northfork DVD has the benefits of time, it will only get better with age.