Conquest

A light hearted, salt of the Earth, memorable romantic comedy. My grandfather was actually in the background in the funeral scene near the end. We went to the theatre and watched it together. Great memory. I believe it was actually filmed in Mortlack, SK.

What could have been an amusing little movie turned out to be quite the misfire. I actually was expecting to enjoy this film, but by the halfway point, it was clear that nothing interesting was going to happen. I managed to sit through the whole thing, and save for a few mildly enjoyable scenes early on, this film was worthless. I'm not quite sure how this could be considered a comedy, unless you like laughing at a large number of annoying characters. I'll admit that the acting was fine, but no amount of talent could have saved this mess. A definite disappointment.

I first saw this movie on TV, & my first impression was that it was very slow moving, although interesting. I would have rated it about a 6 or 7 at that time. But oddly, I kept thinking about the movie until I got to the point where I just had to see it again, & believe me, as of this writing, it's very difficult to find a copy. I finally found it online at a Canadian video site, which makes sense because it's a Canadian-British production. This movie has many things going for it. First, the atmosphere of Conquest, Sask., Canada is beautifully captured (it's not a real place & actually, three Canadian locations were used for the filming). Conquest is a near-Ghost Town inhabited by a couple dozen senior citizens (there are only two inhabitants who look under 65). Everyone else has left, & for good reason: it's dead boring in Conquest. The place is lifeless until one day when Daisy (Tara Fitzgerald in a magnificent acting job) breezes into town. Her youth, energy, good looks, bright clothes, & caring personality breathe life into this "dust bin" of a town, & the bittersweet story goes from there. The acting is all around great (although it was a bit hard for me to understand some of the main characters, who variously have heavy British, odd French, Canadian, & Vietnamese accents). The simple story is loaded with symbolism, & there are some very David Lynch-esque touches (as in "Twin Peaks"). Lothaire Bluteau (yes, there is an "e" at the end of his first name) is very good in the main male lead. Monique Mercure & David Fox, as an older couple, are both very good. And as I said before, Tara is Terrific & steals the show! I've seen the movie four times now that I own a copy, & it gets better every time. It is slow moving & deliberately paced, but hey, that's part of the charm of Conquest, nothing happening & no place to go. I would categorize this film as a comedy-romance, but actually there's little comedy & little romance, but an awful lot of poignancy. Stick with it, you'll find it a very rewarding experience, & it's a movie that you'll think back to for a long time to come. Parental caution: there is some (separate) male & female nudity in this that may not be appropriate for all kids, but it is not focused upon. I rate it 10/10.

Totally in dis-agreement with the previous viewer comment; think he should smoke a fatty and drink a cold one, then view it again. Movies are in essence stories and the director nothing more than a story teller, and this is a wonderful story about people.

Having worked all over North America in the Railroad industry (until MS shortened my career) I had the pleasure of meeting a very wide slice of humanity in many places, and this story is a piece of that pie. No shoot-em-ups, no fast car chases, no gratuitous sex, just real people in their own story.

Enjoyable on many levels for many age groups, and Tara Fitzegerald is as always easy on the eyes.

"Conquest" is a small, dying farming town in rural Saskatchewan where Pincer (Bluteau) has lived his entire life and is struggling to keep the bank from going under and where Daisy's (Fitzgerald) car breaks down leaving her all but stranded. So begins a lite drama mixed with some humor, mild romance, scenic beauty, and the idiosyncratic antics of the local people. "Conquest" is a simple, musing film which is as difficult to fault as it is to praise. An enjoyable watch and little else.