Customer Reviews

Sweet Land - A Love Story

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ali Selim is a gifted artist and one that surely will continue to create magical films such as his masterpiece SWEET LAND in the coming years. Selim wrote the screenplay based on Will Weaver's perfect little short story 'A Gravestone Made of Wheat', found the perfect setting for his tale of the trials of immigrants entering America searching for the American Dream in the spacious grandeur of Minnesota, and selected a cast to bring life to his story that simply could not be better. This film DESERVED to be considered among the best at the time of awards.

Though the time of the story is 1920, the film opens much later in slow motion, only soft music comes from the soundtrack, yet the actors are mouthing words that make us realize we are witnessing the passing of someone important. When the characters begin to speak, the story of remembering what love and trials and experiences years ago were like, transporting us to a station house where we meet Inge (Elizabeth Reaser), a Norwegian/German girl who has come to America to marry a man she has never met, a man who will provide her with home, marriage, and a chance to start afresh. Her 'intended' is Olaf (Tim Guinee) who is shy and unsure of how to make Inge a part of his life: Inge's German background makes her suspect to the townsfolk who fear the course of Germany's power in WW I. Inge speaks no English but has been learning through a common phrase book. Olaf's friend Frandsen (a brilliant role for Alan Cumming), married to Brownie (Alex Kingston) with at least eight children already, helps Inge connect with Olaf. The intended marriage cannot take place with the minister (John Heard) because Inge can't speak English and because she is German... And there begins the trial that places Inge and Olaf in a home unmarried and fending for themselves.

Through extraordinary acts of love bestowed upon Frandsen and Brownie (threatened with eviction from their farm) Inge and Olaf gain the respect of the townspeople and gradually are appreciated for the strong couple they are. They are married, and have children, and the story proceeds to the point where it started, where the aged Inge (now played with humility, grace and style by Lois Williams) carries on the integrity of the departed Olaf and brings closure to her family's disparities through her bonding to her grandson Lars (Patrick Heusinger and later Stephen Pelinski). Both Inge and Olaf wished to be buried in the soil of their land that raised the wheat that gave them material and spiritual sustenance. And it is done.

There are numerous fine cameo roles portrayed by Ned Beatty, Paul Sand, Jodie Markell, Sage Kermes, Kirsten Frantzich, Stephen Yoakam, and Karen Landry. But the equal 'stars' of this breathtaking (and heart-taking) film are cinematographer David Tumblety and musical scoring by Thomas Lieberman and Mark Orton. The end credits are screen on the horizon of the farm with the young Inge and Olaf dancing, a touch that places Ali Selim in the ranks with the finest of filmmakers of the day. This is a brilliant, must-see film. Grady Harp, February 07

"Sweet Land" is the only movie I've ever watched twice at the movie theaters. It was just as entertaining the second time I saw it. I am of Irish descent, and when I moved to Minnesota a few years ago, I found myself surrounded by many people of Scandavian heritage. "Sweet Land" allowed me to traverse back to my neighbors' cultural antecedents. (It also gave me a greater appreciation for basic amenities like indoor plumbing.) The movie seemed to really capture the hardscrabble existence of immigrants who risked coming to America for a better, more independent life. It also showed the cultural sensibilities the Scandavians brought over with them. The characters and their life stories are very memorable. "Sweet Land" is truly charming movie that deserves a much wider distribution.

I often see romance movies with my wife and that will be the end of it, but this movie kept me coming back, I saw it 3 times (twice by myself) in the theater and would see it again if it was still showing, its that good, I can't imagine why this movie wasn't awarded "Best Picture" "Best Everything". There is a charming innocence about this film, that makes you want to live in yesteryear, and that's coming from a guy! Now I want to own it.

Sweet Land is a movie about a mail-order bride from Germany who comes to America during the time right after WWI. Obviously, the towspeople are a little leary about having a German there so soon after the US had just finished war with them. Anyway, it follows the bride and her soon-to-be groom during their first few months together.

The story itself is great. It's completely simple, but still excellent. I truly enjoyed it. I saw this movie because it was dubbed the new 'Days of Heaven'. But other than the early 1900s farm setting, I saw few similarities. The cinematography was very well done, but still much different than Malick's film. Overall, I would say it was strong in visuals. My biggest complaint about this film was the present-time bookends. The meat of the story was a complete and beautiful film all by itself. The first 5-10 minutes and the last 5-10 minutes should have been cut. They were cliche and really did not match the tone of the rest of the film. Had those parts not been included, this movie is a 10/10.

Sweet Land is one of the best films of 2006 and you will be glad you saw it. If possible, see it with a significant other. It's a very rare 'real' love story, and well worth a viewing.

"Sweet Land" is an unusual love story set among homesteading immigrants in Minnesota farm country shortly after World War I. Olaf Torvik (Tim Guinee) came to the US from Norway in 1910, moved west, cleared some land, and became a farmer. A decade later, his parents in Norway find him a wife. Inge Allenberg (Elizabeth Reaser) arrives by train with 2 suitcases and her indispensable phonograph. But Inge is a German national. Post-war sentiment toward Germans prevent the minister and judge from marrying the couple. Olaf is frustrated by the situation, but Inge is determined to be his wife.

"Sweet Land" director Ali Selim adapted the film from Will Weaver's short story "A Gravestone Made of Wheat". The story of Inge and Olaf provides an window on an American culture rarely seen in film. The farms' placid beauty defies the harsh realities of eking out a living in this fickle environment. I was entranced by the quietness that results from Olaf's laconic nature and Inge's inability to speak English. The actors do a splendid job of conveying Inge's resolve and Olaf's frustrated longing and fear of this stranger with few words. "Sweet Land"'s framing device is awkward, but it does give the story context and leaves the audience satisfied to know how things turned out.

The DVD (20th Century Fox 2007): There is one featurette, a theatrical trailer (2 ½ min), and an audio commentary. "Sweet Land: A Labor of Love Story" (11 min) interviews director Ali Selim about his intentions and talks with the cast about their characters and themes. The audio commentary is by writer/director Ali Selim, actors Tim Guinee and Elizabeth Reaser, editor James Stanger, and producer Gil Bellows. Selim and Stanger discuss the framing device. Selim talks about adapting the story. Also discussed are locations, the score, performances, shooting anecdotes, and the actors share their experiences. Subtitles for the film are available in English, Spanish, and French.

This movie is absolutely incredible. I had never heard of it until I checked it out at my local library, and I absolutely loved it. In fact, I loved it so much that I bought it.

This is a movie that gets deeper and richer each time you watch it. There are so many little details and nuances. The story is so beautifully simple, and the images are so rich that you almost feel like you are watching Inge and Olaf's story first hand. I feld like I was sitting across from Inge on her train ride to Minnesota. I could almost smell the prairie grass of their homestead.

I'm from North Dakota, and this movie created such a sense of nostalgia for me, a reminder of a truly better and simpler time. The musical score is hauntingly beautiful and really adds a lot to the film.

This movie brought me to tears at the beginning, the middle and the end. Overall, its one of the best movies I've ever seen, and I HIGHLY recommend it.

A charming movie with beautiful scenery and good acting. I loved the growing relationship between Olaf and Inge. When they work together to harvest their crop and prepare to stand together against the town people, it's a wonderful example of love and commitment. And when Inge prepares the meal at the end of the movie and Olaf eats while staring at her the whole time--that was one of the best portrayals of sexual desire that I've seen since Mr. Darcy locked eyes with Elizabeth across the music room. Everything was well done in this movie--I'm so glad I stumbled upon it.

This film is a must-see. The beginning and ending perfectly frame the main part of the movie which is a flashback of Inge's and Olaf's love story. It's set in Becker County Minnesota which is my former neck of the woods.

The movie is largely authentic, but liberties have been taken. First, Olaf is the perfect incarnation of a Norwegian immigrant farmer. His demeanor perfectly captures the personality and mentality of the Norwegian farmers that I knew in my youth. His acting is absolutely stunning. On the other hand, Inge is luminous, but her behavior is Hollywoodized--she would have been much more subdued for a woman at that time. The Lutheran pastor too, would have been more subdued and perhaps stricter. Other inauthenticities include the flatness of the land--Becker County is full of hills, lakes, rocks and trees. And how can there be a movie about Norwegians that doesn't include a scene of them eating lefse?

Nevertheless, one truly accurate scene was the ground-level shot of Inge's and Olaf's boots trudging through the very black soil. The dirt in northwestern Minnesota is exceedingly black and rich, being the former bottom of a glacial lake. Olaf's muttering "Uff da" at one of Inge's outbursts and his slogan "Banking and farming don't mix" are ideal representations of the classic characteristics of the Norwegians that I know.

All in all, this film is charming and engaging. It is a fabulous introduction to the microculture of Scandinavian heritage that is entrenched in the Upper Midwest, which few Americans are aware of and even fewer understand.

On my mother's side of the family, all 4 of my maternal great-grandparents were
Norwegian. All of them tried homesteading/farming in North Dakota AND Alberta
before moving to the Pacific Northwest to live in a house, on a city lot, and work for wages.

"Banking and farming don't mix" - my relatives who are still out there on the
Great Plains farming live by this bit of folk wisdom - and have for over a hundred years.

The romance in this movie may - or may not - be typical. But when I chase the history of those who emigrated from Norway, I don't know if you could even describe "typical". Chance played a huge role in who met whom, who married whom and settled where ever.

These folks sailed away from Norway ,or Germany, or....into an unknown and uncertain future.

I believe this movie PERFECTLY captures the role played by chance, circumstance,
character, and HARD WORK in settling the West.

Ross Kane

I'm not going to go into any great detail about SWEET LAND, which is also a very sweet movie, as previous reviewers here have done that already. I just wanted to add my opinion to the 50 others who have come before me.

This was a simple story about two immigrants who grow to learn about and love each other despite the obstacles they have to overcome along the way. This was also an adult romance without any sex, violence, or four-letter-words...and not even one Ford Model-T was blown up...so I think that alone will turn off some people. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the DVD, which we got free from our local library, and were involved in the story and cared about the characters. If that isn't the real test of a movie's entertainment value then I don't know what is. The main characters, Inge (a mail-order-bride from post-WWI Germany) and Olaf (a farmer from Norway), try to marry and begin a life for themselves in 1920 Minnesota but are thwarted by the parish minister, who refuses to marry them, and the townspeople, who still harbor anti-German feelings. It isn't until Olaf stands up to the town banker, who is intent on foreclosing the farm of neighbor and friend Frandsen, that the minds and hearts of the minister and townsfolk are changed.

I think a few reviewers were less than enthusiastic about the movie because they either couldn't understand some of the dialogue (smatterings of Norwegian and German were spoken in the beginning) or thought it was just poorly accented jibberish. I guess they don't remember those old Folgers Coffee commercials starring Mrs. Olsen. "Ja! It's mountain grown. The richest coffee there is." otherwise they'd be less skeptical.

At any rate, I wholeheartedly recommend SWEET LAND to anyone who can appreciate good acting, a believeable story, and beautiful cinematography. One warning: Be sure to have a box of Kleenex handy.