Best Movie of the Year: North Country

Best Movie of the Year: North Country

It was last Sunday October 9th when I had gone to the AMC theater to meet up with a friend working there. I had the intentions to also see a foreign film with him they were holding the International Film Festival all week long. By the time I arrived it was too late to see the last foreign movie of that day, but we were not leaving without seeing a movie.

We stepped right into the one movie that just started on time and reluctantly because the preview ad for "North Country" did not look appealing. Boy, were we in for a ride. My friend wanted to leave again, since this was our second movie in 20 minutes he thought was depressing. By this point, I was not going to budge, and I was not going to do musical chairs all night long. Ten more minutes later the movie had fully pulled me in by then.

This movie was based on a true story about one of the first sexual harassment cases to make a big impression on history. A lady having no choice but to work hard to support her children had to work for whatever job she could find so she worked for the mine industry. As she is constantly harassed with no adieu and soon finally gets assaulted time after time along with her other female co-workers. She has to overcome the whole union, her own group of women who want to despise her for not remaining submissive, her own father who does not want to put up a fight for her own right, and more than anything her attacker and the truth.

It sounds a bit dark, rusty and grueling because it sure was, yet still well worth it. The journey with her determined mission and honor make interesting revelations in all of us who witnessed the brutal truth of someone trying to be heard and not settling for less by confronting the giants who do not want to hear her out.

I can't put into words how much this movie should mean and means to all of us women and men alike. The only recommendation is to just give it a chance to open a side of you who want to think outside the box and see a movie that reminds you of difficult decisions in history that were made and people who stuck to a principle for a great reason. Charlize Theron delivered a great performance once again. It's medicine for the soul. I would nominate this as movie of the year!*****

Posted: 7:09 a.m. EST October 17, 2005 by Anne Meesriyong