THE OLD MAN AND THE LAND

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from director Nicholas Parish and Reason 8 comes a powerful film about one family dealing with THE OLD MAN AND THE LAND.

Living on the land is a widowed elder farmer (Roger Marten) who spends his days tending the fields and the sheep. Daughter Laura (Emily Beechum) lives in Spain and son David (Rory Kinnear) is trying to get his life together. The siblings have very different ideas about what should happen to the farm and are constantly attempting to reach their dad for answers to that very question.

Instead, their dad continues with his chores on the farm and instead of answering his phone, tends to let it go to the machine where he listens later to what they have to say. Laura feels left out of the decision making and continually tries to tell her father that she has the experience necessary to maintain the farm and even diversify it to bring in much needed funds.

David, on the other hand, has serious issues with his father. Calling to complain, borrow money or go on a drunken tear, expect his father to take everything he has to say. When either doesn’t get the response they want from their father, they have a go at each other bringing up the past and accusations of who deserves more because of it all. Brother against sister, there will come a time when they both must decide for themselves what is actually important in life and it might just hurt a little when they get the answers.

Beechum as Laura feels she is being pitted against a generational patriarchy that sees her as nothing more than a female without a purpose. Her agitation with it is all consuming and, in a way, she sees her brother as part of that “man club” and it is like rubbing salt in the emotional wound. I enjoyed listening to Laura’s feelings because, although not new generally for women, she brings in her voice a sense of longing to show her worth and potential. I actually happened upon the Netflix series 1899 and Beechum as Maura kept me watching the series until the last.

Kinnear as David is a complete hot mess who can not even seem to get out of his own way. Blaming everything on his childhood, he almost refuses to grow up and stop acting like a child with his alcoholic tantrums. His reasoning for the entitlement he feels actually irritated me so I can see how it drives Laura to distraction. That being said, there is hope for him so prepare yourself with tissue for the last 10 minutes of the film. I have been a great admirer of Kinnear’s work and he totally hooked me in his role as John Clare in the PENNY DREADFUL cable series as a creature that took audiences by storm.

Now, Marten as the widowed farmer is just so lovely to watch. Yes, his character is the center of the mud-slinging between brother and sister and his character has a history, yet watching Marten go about his daily life is a bit of a reminder. As a parent who also can remember things I’d rather forget, Marten’s not answering the phone is his way feels a bit like saying, “how many times can you blame me before you grow up?” and I’m here for it. Marten gives us a look at this man’s life alone on the farm because this is the life that is known and has its own memories.

REASON8 Films is a London based international sales and production company. The company was formed in Autumn 2015 and took over most of the affairs of AV Pictures that stopped trading. REASON8 represents films from around the world with a focus on auteur-driven arthouse and genre films. REASON8's films regularly play and win awards at the major international film festivals and are released at multiple territories through the company's long-established distribution network. To learn more about REASON8 Films please visit www.reason8films.com.

THE OLD MAN AND THE LAND is an absolute stunner from beginning to end. Director Parish has taken a story written by Nico Mensinga and given it such originality that I literally couldn’t believe what I was seeing. One man says nothing and two siblings can’t stop talking yet all three truly do want the same thing (whether they know it or not). There is a family history here that has just bound them all up so tightly in a shared pain and grief that each’s inability to see it is understandable but also very sad indeed.

We all have these issues within the family somewhere which is what makes the story so relatable. The anger, secrets, entitlement, wants, blame, finger-pointing and guilt are all here and the story gives us all no place to hide from recognizing it. There were moments where I held my breath because there is such beauty in forgiveness but when is that forgiveness possible in the midst of the anger and isolation for these three people? You will have to find out for yourselves.

THE OLD MAN AND THE LAND is brilliant, absolutely brilliant in its telling, the way it is told and the cinematography playing a fourth character in a way. This is an emotional ride and should have a tissue-warning attached to it because there will be weeping involved. The film was a Nominee Critics' Pick for Best Film in Critics' Picks Competition for Director/Producer Nicholas Parish, Producer Josh Eve and Producer Anneli Flexman at the Tallin Black Nights Film Festival.

In the end – it is never too late to forgive!