Northfork

The Polish brothers are unique film artists, and they've really pushed the envelope here. A fantasy that has points in common with "Wings of Desire," "Northfork" tells the story of a '50s era small town in the middle of nowhere that is two days shy of being inundated and submerged thanks to the U.S. government's desire to make a reservoir on the place where the town stands. It's a wry parable about loss and remembrance, featuring angels, dreams, premonitions, and the most hilarious government reclamation functionaries since "Repo Man." The performances are all outstanding, especially Nolte and Woods. I've noticed in reading down some of the comments that there are people who were offended simply by the fact that the Polish twins use elliptical storytelling tactics, and I want to say, that's one of the things that makes this film so great: its willingness to embrace the mysterious as an aspect of everyday life. David Mullen's cinematography is stunning. Highly recommended; if you've suffered a meaningful personal loss, such as the death of a parent, I would even call this film necessary viewing. - Ray

This film played for a criminally short time in Buffalo and of course was gone by the time I wanted to see it. I'm sure the beautifully shot, rugged western landscapes would have been great on a big screen, but unfortunately I had to settle for the video version on my 13" TV. With that said, "Northfork" is that rare and elusive bird of movies: a commercial film that is worthy of the viewer's hour and a half and doesn't manage to be insulting. Despite the career sins of Nick Nolte and Darryl Hannah in the past, don't be turned off by their presence here. They are perfect in their respective roles, Nolte as world-worn mystic and Hannah as enigmatic ghost/angel/vision. Without rehashing a plot summary (which, I might add, is somewhat inaccurate on this site), let me say that "Northfork" is a kind of delirium, alternating between the dreamlife of a dying boy and the surreal landscape of a mostly empty town, peopled only by a handful of eccentric stragglers. The central plot, as it were, revolves around a group of state-sanctioned volunteers given the task of clearing out these final hangers-on before the town is flooded. The six deputized agents, clad in black and issued identical black sedans, speak in detached, banal fragments, going about their task with an odd fatalism. Although the dialogue and cold, alien demeanor owes heavily to David Lynch, it is sure to please fans of the eclectic and bizarre like myself. The other plot strand, that of the dying boy's fever visions, is a bit heavy-handed in places, with an overkill of its clumsy angel motif, but it manages enough ambiguity and originality to avoid queasiness.

Above all else, this film has the feel of a strange dream, mired in drab shades and an undercurrent of ominous mystery. The camera work is brilliant and, despite awkward moments, the film has the feeling of a deep, cold water reservoir running beneath a landscape familiar and unreal at once.

Northfork is not an inscrutable mess. Whether you wish to view the more fanciful scenes as literal or the product of a dying boy's imagination, one strong theme connects all the stories. Change happens. Each sub-story revolves around a profound change. The little boy is dying. The town is being evacuated. The movie illustrates how we get dragged along by changes we are powerless to stop. We should ideally make the best of them and accept whatever heartache they cause. Some look forward towards a new freedom (the little boy) and some obstinately refuse to accept them (the ark family). And Walter has to learn the lesson that there are some changes we think are over and done with that must be relived (reburying his wife). Just because we think we've buried a chapter in life under the ground doesn't make it so. This is shown so clearly by the conversations between Walter and his son Willis. I say that if you really want to know what the movie is about watch the scene that begins in the outhouse. And pay special attention to the Willis's speech about caring for his car. Its a beautiful movie that gains meaning for me every time I watch it.

I enjoyed this film's surreal nature and mysteriousness of the characters. The cinematography is beautiful, and the film is well-cast. Although I usually do not like Nick Nolte and the roles he plays, he showed great depth in this film.

Viewers who are unaccustomed to abstract film-making will find the plot disturbingly confusing, but I thought the transcendent themes overode the ambiguuities. If you absolutely HAVE to "understand" the film, just listen to the director's comments on the DVD. Doing this, however, diminishes the abstract beauty of the film--the way an art expert can ruin the experience of a fascinating painting in a museum.

By an odd coincidence, I had toured the locale for this film only a few months before purchasing it, and I thought the director captured the awesome yet austere nature of western Montana well.

The film is worth seeing just for the scenery and cinematography alone, and it offers many interesting topics for sociological discussions. I have already recommended it to number of my friends who appreciate esoteric films.

It's a shame this movie is rated PG 13--it is really quite suitable for anyone--though young kids might not follow it too well.

It belongs to that wonderful genre of serio-comic ghost/angel stories that would have to include everything from Capra's "It's A Wonderful Life" to Wenders's "Wings of Desire."

The photography is stunning, the acting first rate, and--wonder of wonders--the tone is uplifting.

My only criticism is that there is not much ambiguity in the film. The two interwoven stories seem intriguingly mysterious at first; but they resolve themselves a little too nicely for my taste. As the director points out in his commentary on the DVD, all the ingredients of Irwin's story are on his bedside table. The symbolism is just a trifle too pat for me.

But what a lark! My favorite scene has to be when the relocation team tries to get breakfast at a diner. This is practically theatrical in its magic--a tour de force of witty acting--subtle, playful, and positively rhythmic--coupled with striking cinematography and an acute eye for the grotesque.

"Northfork" is funny, touching, gorgeous to look at, magical (with the above reservations) and has not one single car-chase.

An easy nine stars.