If you haven't noticed by now, I'll tell you-- I have a slight obsession with random independent films that have done well at festivals but no one has ever actually seen. Scrolling through the OnDemand picks of the day, I came across this one. I'll be honest, I chose to watch it because Zac Efron is in it, so it can't be horrible, right? Truth be told, it was pretty much just alright. Don't get me wrong, there were some really cool moments, but it was very slow-paced without much action at all.
With that being said, there were some crazy important messages in this film. It explored numerous themes that almost everyone can relate to. These include: the destruction of the American Dream (similar to all three films we've watched in class), average citizens vs. "the Man," once-traditional family values, the "old days" vs. modern times, morality & guilt, and of course, love, among others. The movie stars Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron, and is directed by Ramin Bahrani, who is considered one of the best current American film directors. It came out in 2012, and was distributed by Sony Classical Entertainment. It appeared at the Toronto and Venice film festivals, along with others.
The plot is basically this: a farmer, Henry (Dennis Quaid) has become sort of a big deal selling seeds to smaller farms, but has lots of competition. His oldest son, Grant, once the golden boy of the family, is off on adventures in Argentina. That leaves his younger son, Dean (Zac Efron) to be the one to eventually take over the farm, but he doesn't want it. Instead, he wants to be a racecar driver. There's also Dean's girlfriend, Cadence, who is one of the more interesting characters in the film. OH, and we can't forget that Henry is cheating on his wife and *spoiler alert* Dean cheats on Cadence WITH THE SAME WOMAN. The story is pretty much the family's struggle through the hardship of being a farmer in Iowa, and the dynamics of their relationships with each other and other people. 
I will admit, I truly admire how raw and real the movie is. I don't doubt that real farming families would feel a deep connection to the film-- it really does tell it like it is. There is no tip-toeing around issues like scandal and even murder, and it doesn't shy away from criticizing modern-day America for what it's become. Dennis Quaid gives an amazing performance, as well. He's the character you want badly to love, but can't help but hate. Multiple critics have called his performance in this film his best ever. 
As far as the technical stuff, there's some really cool shots in this film that make you think about the content. The cinematographer is a huge fan of long shots with barely visible people-- most of the time juxtaposed with fields upon fields of corn. There's also a pretty interesting color scheme and related, costume plot. Each character always wears very similar out fits, and the whole movie is basically warm outdoor tones like green, orange, pink, and blue. If you like movies about rural farmers in Iowa, then go ahead and give it a shot. However, it really does have some great parts, it might be worth your time if you like that kind of thing.
I give it a C
