Earthwork

A simple, yet moving portrayal of a man committed to his art and his vision of the world. I loved this movie and can't recommend it enough to indie film fans. Great performance by John Hawkes and very strong debut for Chris Ordal. Ordal is definitely someone to watch. Although fans of Stan Herd will most certainly love the film, I think new viewers will be captivated by his story and his "crop art". The crop art is both epic and visually stunning. Also has one of the best opening credit sequences of the last couple of years. Hard to believe they pulled this movie off for $1m. A real credit goes to the filmmakers and crew for pulling that off.

I saw this film in a private showing and enjoyed it. I am predisposed to like indie films and this one did not disappoint. The story contained drama, heartbreak and wonderful interactions between the characters; and believe me, they were characters. The events will have you saying "You can't make this stuff up". Fact truly is stranger than fiction.

It was interesting to see John Hawkes as an entirely different character than the one he played in "Winter's Bone". He is a chameleon. James McDaniel was memorable as "Lone Wolf" and Laura Kirk played the long suffering wife with delicacy and grace.

Stan Herd is a Kansas farmer out to show the art world that he can make it in New York. He faces countless obstacles on his journey. He also finds support and friendship among the homeless men who help him. He in turn gives them hope and purpose. The film explores the mind and determination of an artist.

I ran home after this viewing and looked up all of the actors as they made quite an impression on me. Some I recognized and some were completely new. I must admit that I didn't recognize John Hawkes at all from his role in "Winter's Bone". It's a nice contrast and I look forward to seeing him in more movies.

Jeff Daniels was amazing and although her role was small, Laura Kirk's portrayal of Janis Herd was memorable.

This small independent film is a must see.

From the films open with Stan as a young man first finding his passion in an instant as rain drops fall, to the title credits so nicely woven in to the fabric of the stunning cinematography all the way to final credit roll, you cannot take your eyes off the screen. Every aspect of this just works.

You must see the beauty of this film for yourself. I could never have expected a film of this subject matter to keep me glued to my chair while concerned if Stans plan will pan out. The hurdles he faces, the mounting debt, the needs of his new surrogate family in the city, his wife and child and his passion for the earthwork draw you in. Everything flowed. I forgot there were editors, camera people, grips, actors, and all of the other folks who make movies come to life. This was seamless and stunning to watch. Without car crashes or special effects, this film captured my heart and attention. It brought tears to my eyes and laughter to my world. I will never look at a plot of land the same again. The entire team should be proud! (This is an excerpt of a longer review that I wrote)

This is a film that you root for. An indie film with great heart and honesty. John Hawkes, Chris Bachand and the rest of the cast deliver truthful performances that inspire. The audience can feel their passion, pain and most of all hope and the importance of friendship. The production makes most of what I'm sure was a limited budget.

This film deserves to be seen and hopefully as it continues to play and word of mouth continues to spread Chris Ordal, the screenwriter/director will have more opportunities to share his vision.

A side note: The opening credit sequence that represents the artist's work is truly beautiful.