Northern Borders

Bruce Dern and Genevieve Bujold play bickering grandparents who inherit their grandson for an indeterminate amount of time in this film set in the isolated woods of Vermont in the late 1950's. This film is about familial love and misunderstanding. There's little melancholia or anything to feel warm and fuzzy about, but Dern and Bujold help the film rise above its conventions.

Dern might have had an Oscar nod for this film but he had the distinct misfortune for making the film 'Nebraska' (and creating a similar angry character) in the same year (2013). He was Oscar-nominated for 'Nebraska' and not for this film. Bujold has to be one of the most beautiful women in the world and she remains so here (she was 71 when she made this film.) Dern and Bujold, acting champs that they are, work well together creating sparks and they salvage the film overall.

Most of the rest of the characters are underdeveloped (especially the father who drops off his son to the grandparents.) Then, there's the bank robber daughter (I'm not kidding) who, late in the film, hijacks the picture and the story completely. At least the role is played by an actress skilled enough to try to pull off such a weird and basically unbelievable character. Would've loved to see what Tatum O'Neal would've done with it.

The film is slow, so be warned, and the hatefulness between the principles very nearly does the picture in but Dern and Bujold are a wonder to behold and plenty enough to recommend this film. I found myself thinking about it days after seeing it, so that's always a good sign of an indelible if (in this case) sometimes unbelievable story.

I just discovered the Northern Borders film and I enjoyed it so much I watched it twice in a row. The acting was brilliant, as expected. I've always been a fan of Ms. Bujold and Mr. Dern. The supporting cast were superb. I am going to research Seamus to see what he has been up to in the film scene. The story was compelling and in depth. I have not read the book. I will check my local library. It does make me wonder if there is some family truth to the story. More research 😊. The settings were realistic. As most of us are aware, there were and sadly still are, destitute community members. And, Grandfather proved he was not mean through and through, but had compassion and care in his mind and soul.

Tedious mash-up of hateful family, and don't expect the movie to redeem itself: it doesn't.

As a snapshot of godless, self-centered people making everyone around them miserable, this movie is spot-on. Blurb claims it's "based on a true story" (aren't they all), but even that is a lie.

The list of colleges and universities that contributed to this waste of 109 minutes of your life can serve as a list of institutions for your children and grandchildren to avoid!

Great actor though he might be, perhaps it would be better for us to avoid Mr. Dern's movies entirely, rather than risk more of this ilk!

Snails pace with two aged adults fighting over peanuts ...its a display of over-indulgence to the nth degree ... bruce dern plays the same role in every film he's ever been in ... i was surprised that ms bujold went along with the farce ...this game is not played in the vermont woods but on a hollywood set .... yuk

Really enjoyable movie. Bruce Dern and Geneve Bujold are outstanding and the boy Austin is great too. There are flaws; the boy is mature beyond his years, the other family characters are underdeveloped and there are scenes that seem pointless. But I was intensely interested in what would happen to the main characters and I found this movie riveting. If you appreciate a thoughtful movie you will like this one.