Themes: Small-Town Life, Social Injustice, Orphans
Main Cast: James Woods, Nick Nolte, Claire Forlani, Duel Farnes, Mark Polish
Release Year: 2003
Country: US
Run Time: 94 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
What was once a brave frontier town has become a haven for enlightened oddballs in this unusual drama from director Michael Polish, written in collaboration with his twin brother, Mark Polish. Northfork is a small town in Montana which, in 1955, is soon to disappear in the name of progress; a massive hydroelectric dam is to be put in nearby, which will flood the entire village. A group of six men sent by the power company -- led by Walter O'Brien (James Woods) and his son Willis (Mark Polish) -- arrive in Northfork to evacuate the few remaining residents. If the men are successful, they'll each be given parcels of land on the banks of the new lake which will be where Northfork once stood. Most of the townspeople have already left, but a few remain, among them Father Harlan (Nick Nolte), a man of the cloth who is caring for Irwin (Duel Farnes), a strange, scarred boy apparently on his deathbed, and a handful of enchanted eccentrics who have taken over a local bar, including Flower Hercules (Daryl Hannah), Cup of Tea (Robin Sachs), Happy (Anthony Edwards), and Cod (Ben Foster). As Walter and Willis try to persuade the stubborn stragglers to move on, Walter must search for a new final resting place for his late wife, whose coffin is the last to be relocated after Northfork's cemetery is dug up. Northfork received its world premier at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
David Storm - Art Director, Jon Gries - Associate Producer, Jonathan Sheldon - Associate Producer, Chad Troutwine - Associate Producer, Todd King - Co-producer, Paul Torok - Co-producer, Daniel Glicker - Costume Designer, Andrew Coffing - First Assistant Director, Mark Polish - Director, Michael Polish - Director, Adam Rehmeier - Second Unit Director, Leo Trombetta - Editor, Barbara Jones - Executive Producer, Anthony Romano - Executive Producer, James Woods - Executive Producer, Paul Mayerson - Executive Producer, Michel Shane - Executive Producer, Janet Jensen - Executive Producer, Damon Martin - Executive Producer, Bruce E. Jones - Executive Producer, Gil Amaral - Executive Producer, Stuart Matthewman - Composer (Music Score), Ichelle Spitzig - Production Designer, Del Polish - Production Designer, M. David Mullen - Cinematographer, Mark Polish - Producer, Michael Polish - Producer, Erin Smith - Set Designer, Gary J. Tunnicliffe - Special Effects, Mike Regan - Special Effects, Harry Cohen - Sound/Sound Designer, Matthew Nicolay - Sound/Sound Designer, Jim Wolvington - Sound/Sound Designer, Mark Polish - Screenwriter, Michael Polish - Screenwriter, Jeffrey Guziak - Additional Cinematography, Dane A. Davis - Supervising Sound Editor, Christopher Sheldon - Supervising Sound Editor
The film's narrative consists of several interwoven subplots taking place in the town of Northfork, Montana circa 1955. A new dam is being built which will flood the valley of Northfork, and the town is in the midst of an evacuation. The narratives focus on several individuals who, for one reason or another, have yet to evacuate. Walter O'Brian (Woods) and his son (Mark Polish) are on the evacuation team, helping to evacuate the last few inhabitants of Northfork. Father Harlan (Nick Nolte) is one such individual, who has stayed behind to care for Irwin (Duel Farnes), a dying orphan too weak to leave town. While the O'Brians and their coworkers encounter an array of unusual characters, Irwin discovers that he is the "unknown angel" and finds himself a family in his dreams.
Reaction
The film received mixed reviews from critics upon its release. Most people generally agreed that the film is visually beautiful and philosophically interesting, however, the lack of a strong narrative bothered critics, including many critics who gave favorable reviews.[2] Despite this, it won several awards at film festivals including:[3]
the Best Director award at the Athens International Film Festival.
