Promised Land

Two principles are anxious to get out of a small burg in the mid west and one refuses to leave the only place where he ever had any recognition (as a star high school athlete) and becomes a local cop. The wild card here is a drifter and borderline sociopath who nonetheless also needs something like "home", but has no idea what that is.

Played by Meg Ryan as you've never seen her. Although if you rent "Hurlyburly" you'll see what she can do with a well written part not seemingly made for her; this woman can act, but apparently would rather have Nora Ephron help her be a star and get fat deals playing variations on the same person. Rant aside, Ryan's character hooks up somewhere in the west with the most disaffected of the small-towners, played as a not very bright but enigmatic loser by Kiefer Sutherland. The pull of "home", both real and imagined, leads Kiefer and Meg back to small-burg with tragic consequences. There is a real 80's feel to this. Ennui and fear and neediness combine as America ostensibly does big things, a few people get really rich, and people like these characters instinctively know that most people, especially ones like them, have fewer prospects than their parents. Unlike me, the movie is not at all didactic, so check it out as one of the more outstanding "feel-bad" movies I've ever seen.

I do believe these characters: A cheerleader/good girl, a jock who is less of a jerk than most jocks, a totally ineffectual loser, and a trashy drifter floozy. But I still need to hear a little more in depth dialog about why they are who they are, or what they want out of life.

Other reviewers have mentioned a couple Reagan speeches in the background or some kind of political message about disappointment in the Reagan years. I see that the "lefty" Robert Redford produced this film, but I did not pick up on the whole Reagan-bashing vibe. There is one scene where the jock throws a tantrum and says, "you lied to me," but I'm not sure to whom he was talking or referring.

I was a lost soul in the 80's, but it never occurred to me to blame Reagan. My problems were entirely a combination of genes and my own decisions. The same goes for these characters.

I couldn't stand the Meg Ryan character, and I couldn't see anything to respect or like about the Sutherland character, so during their sequences, it was more like a documentary about losers. I felt no sympathy. Those two are so off-putting and ugly,they ruin the whole film.

What I did like was the gorgeous scenery and the accurate portrayal of the angst of small town youth. Growing up is scary and there's no place like home. The characters conveyed this well.

Why make it in Utah? I know that Redford lives there, but wouldn't you have to include some references to Mormonism? There was a steelmaker union sign on the main street. Were there steel mills in Utah back in the day? It was supposed to represent a generic working class small town, but nothing in Utah is generic. It's a unique place.

Tracy Pollan is five years older than Jason Gedrick and Meg Ryan is several years older than Keifer Sutherland. But I can't say that I really noticed that. I do think they were weird casting choices. A Jewish girl from Long Island as a small town Utah cheerleader? A Connecticut beauty queen type as a thief and a whore? I have faith that the jock and cheerleader will make a nice couple. She clearly has no direction in college and will find something worthwhile to do back home. He will continue as a cop. They will have a double income and produce a nice middle class life amongst their friends and family. What else is there anyways?

One thing though: Another reviewer mentioned that they should have made more than two years pass by. I agree,because two years is nothing. 20 years old is not the time to panic about your future. You can always go back to school or work for a while. Nothing at 20 needs to be forever.

The film may have made much better sense if they were all 25.

No matter what the critics contend I loved this movie - I like the actors - all of them, not just the top 4. I thought the top 4 should have gotten Oscars. The film is depressing but it is supposed to be that way. The scenery and music just add to the awesomeness. References to President Regan made it more relevant. The despair and frustration of growing up in this movie are not equalled anywhere else. Two thumbs up.

In the small town of Ashville, Hancock (Jason Gedrick) is the best basketball player and local hero. Mary (Tracy Pollan) is a cheerleader and his gorgeous girlfriend. They both intend to go to the college together. Their friend Danny 'The Senator' (Kiefer Sutherland) quits high school and moves alone to the Arizona, trying to have a good job and a better life. A couple of years later, Hancock is the local chief of police, living from his glorious past; Mary is studying Arts, and although still loving Hancock, she can not accept life in Ashville and has a new boyfriend; and Danny is a complete loser, who decides to get married with the crazy Beverly (Meg Ryan) and spend the Christmas Eve in his home town with his family. The story ends in a tragic way. 'Promised Land' is a depressive tale about the fate of each one and, in accordance with the initial credits, is based on a true story. The young cast has a great performance, the story is never corny, and it is great to see an American low budget movie about real common people, and not the fancy Hollywood reality. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): 'Terra Prometida' ('Promised Land')

I read the summary of the movie and I saw the line "the other side of the American way of life" and I was wondering what it was. I'm Dutch, so it was a relief to see that America wasn't as perfect as it seemed. the movie wasn't really what I expected from it. but not in a negative way. I simply loved the movie. the simplicity of it. I only knew Kiefer Sutherland and Meg Ryan (Kiefer was the reason I bought it). Kiefer was great as Danny, but I was stunned by Meg as the almost trashy Bev. I almost cried at the end, but I only want to say: Watch it, as fast as you can. and don't expect anything, because you won't get what you'll expect.