Promised Land

A salesman for a natural gas company experiences life-changing events after arriving in a small town, where his corporation wants to tap into the available resources.

There's a fine line between preaching and making a point in an unobtrusive, intelligent way. Promised Land sidesteps the former to a large degree, but by the same token doesn't quite achieve the latter. The themes being explored certainly aren't mutually exclusive and bleed into one another as the plot unfolds, but there is some clumsiness in reaching the heart of what the film is really about. 

Aside from these minor misgivings, I found it enjoyable. It can be quite charming at times and there's enough light relief to keep things from becoming too bogged down in the specifics of what, to a large number of us at least, could seem a boring subject. Whilst a principal point in question is very much a topical issue (the practice of 'fracking'), there are never any judgements made in this regard and the movie is stronger for it. Also, the narrative is as much about the character of Steve as any moral consideration, and his soul searching has a big role to play in keeping everything relatable. His motivations and inner conundrums form a solid basis for everything else that takes place.

Matt Damon not only stars, but is also credited as a screenwriter for the film, as well as a producer. Furthermore, he was apparently originally slated to direct, but for one reason or another, this didn't come about. I would have been very interested to see the results of his taking the chair with his own material, given the success of co-conspirator Ben Affleck, but I'm sure the time will come. The presence of Frances McDormand is an added bonus, as she is among my favourite actresses. Those of you familiar with the Coen brothers' back catalogue will know her well and she is characteristically arresting here.

The dialogue is surprisingly snappy, mainly between Damon and McDormand's Steve and Sue. There's a very organic feel to both the tone of their conversations and the reactions that are provoked. It seems clear that there must have been at least some improvisation in the construction of those scenes, and there is no doubting they are a big contributor to the movie's charm.

Overall, what really stood out for me was a love of the rural, whether it be in the lavish aerial shots of open fields and farmland, or the focus on a small town's inhabitants and their sense of community. There's little that deviates from this concern and it serves as the context in which the rest of the film is anchored. It's evident that this is a picture that has something to say, but this doesn't override the sensibility to entertain.

The Verdict:

7/10
A thoughtful film that tackles a contentious subject without judgement, and reveals itself to be both charming and entertaining in the process.