Sweet Land

This is a wonderful, artistically-shot film which, despite its sweet title, introduces a lot of subthemes about the underbelly of human nature. Presented to us as a flashback within a flashback, the story takes us back to the last century where socio/political/religious rules were hard to get around. But despite it being a period piece, we see powerful reflections of modern day.

Whether we're yelling "Witch!" or "German spy!" or "Pinko Communist!" or "Muslim Terrorist!", American society has always had a love affair with xenophobia that keeps frothing to the surface every few decades. What's interesting & inspiring about this movie is that it shows how individuals can still exist within this harsh, judgemental environment. Though society may be unfair & ignorant, we needn't get depressed & cynical about it. Romance can still exist.

In keeping with that theme, the story is very bright and light-hearted (though never sappy), and that's what I enjoyed most about it. The landscape is vibrant, and the director made full use of colour, unlike many period pieces that are shot in dull sepias. On the contrary, being a flashback, this film presents a somewhat dreamy, storybook image which is very nice on the eyes.

The star, Elizabeth Reaser, is so convincing as the European immigrant, and the way she unleashes rapid volleys of German and Swedish(?) is so authentic that I was certain she was a real-life German who couldn't speak any English. Imagine my surprise when I found out she's a Michigan girl. Her performance alone is worth the price of admission. If all mail-order-brides were like her, I'd be tempted to send away for a half dozen.

Sweet Land (2005) was written and directed by Ali Selim. Elizabeth Reaser plays Inge, a mail-order bride who travels to Minnesota to marry Olaf (portrayed by Tim Guinee).

Because Inge is from Germany, not from Scandinavia, she finds social and legal obstacles to her wedding. The plot proceeds from this significant problem.

Tim Guinee is a strong actor, as are some of the actors in supporting roles: John Heard as the troubled Minister Sorrensen, Ned Beatty as Banker Harmo, and Alex Kingston as farm housewife Brownie.

However, the movie belongs to Elizabeth Reaser. She is a brilliant actor. She's even more talented than we realize. She doesn't speak German, but in the film she had to speak German as if it were her first language. Also, she had to speak English with a German accent. Somehow, she carries it off.

It's worth mentioning one aspect of the movie that was unintentionally funny. Reaser has been traveling across the ocean and then halfway across the continent. She arrives looking fresh and tidy. She continues to be fresh and tidy--without a bath--for days after she arrives. Similarly, Alex Kingston is supposed to be a farm housewife who is the mother of nine children, but she still looks youthful and slender. OK--they're beautiful women, but director Selim should have given them a few signs of wear.

I enjoyed this film, and I recommend it highly. We saw the film on DVD, where it worked well. The movie has a strong IMDb rating of 7.3. I think that it's even better than that.

This film is most absorbing, but you have to be willing to watch a film that unfolds slowly. It is magnificently acted with two young actors -- Elizabeth Reaser and Tim Guinee as the leads. There is relatively little dialogue, and much of it is in German or Norwegian with no subtitles, which conveys to the audience the difficulty that they have communicating with each other.

The two leads are heavily dependent upon the expressiveness of their eyes, which they do with great delicacy. The film is well-paced and beautifully photographed. The only difficulty I had was catching on that the action took place in three time periods, not just two. You had 1920 when Inge, a mail order bride comes to rural Minnesota. (The scenery looked authentic, and since some of the credits are for institutions in Montevideo, MN, a town to which I once traveled, I can understand the veracity of the setting.)

The second time period, which is not so clear, is when Olaf, Inge's husband has passed away, and the third time period is more or less the present when Inge's grandson is faced with a decision of whether or not to sell the farm. There are some visual clues to separate the second and third time periods, but they are quite subtle.

The second is probably around 1960, marked by the glasses frames that Inge, as an old woman is wearing; and the third, by a jacket that her great-granddaughter is wearing. Otherwise, the time differences are not totally clear, particularly at the beginning of the film, where you have flashbacks.

The film struck me with its apparent accuracy. Twenty years ago, I knew an elderly Norwegian immigrant who had been the wife of a North Dakota farmer, and she had told me stories of farm life in the 1920s and 1930s. It required about 15 people to operate a steam threshing machine, and she told me about preparing lunch each day during the harvest season for 20 men; and about reading by candlelight at night; using an indoor pump at the sink; and seeking to keep warm during the brutal North Dakota winters.

I visited the woman and her daughters and grand-daughter in her modern apartment which was a far cry from life during her youth. It blows me away to think about the change in this one woman's singular life from her youth to her later years -- greater changes than in any prior period in history. (In 1946, there were still more horse drawn tractors than mechanized ones in use in the U.S., and there wasn't much electricity in rural areas until the New Deal.)

Although I may have missed some, I perceived no wrong notes in the film which added to the enjoyment of watching it. A most charming film from beginning to end.

Sweet Land touched my heart. My roots are from the same farming background as Olaf and Inge's. Seeing them brought back stories and memories of my own growing up and family history. It slowed down the pace for just a little while and brought back into focus what should really matter in life--and that is the people you journey though it with. The story is simple and yet it is far deeper and more touching than most movies that hit the screen today. It is a story of hardship and the joy and pride that come from hard work. It is a love story and a story of strength. And it is a story with humor and valuable lessons that I believe America's heartland was raised on. It also shares a mindset of a time gone by, an understanding of why our grandparents and parents thought as they did and believed the things they believed. When we know and understand the past, it helps shape and lead us to the future. I appreciate the time and energy that went into the making of this film. It is a treasure.

i knew nothing about it before i saw sweet land at a film "class" preview. what a wonderful surprise. it is slow, thoughtful, with frames that are like beautiful photographs. the director gets more across with silence and facial expressions than most dialogue does. the actors are unique individuals - each performance a gem. and, the story is touching - the decent salt of the earth assimilated farmers who feel threatened by "other" outsiders. the two main characters beautifully portrayed as they work side by side and get to know each other. unique heartland music that respects the acting and dialogue and enhances without taking over at all. i highly recommend this for filmgoers who want to be touched and immersed. kudos to ali selim and fine company.