“North Country” (Warner Brothers)
Oscar winner Charlize Theron takes on the role of a woman fighting for her rights in the workplace in the new movie “North Country.” Her struggle, her battles, her fight for dignity make “Norma Rae” look like a walk in the park. This is a gritty, true story that will shock and amaze you. It will also hit pretty close to home for a lot of people in the audience.
Theron plays Josey Aimes, a mother of two who leaves her abusive husband. She goes home to live with her parents (Richard Jenkins and Sissy Spacek) in Minnesota. Her father Henry and her best friend Glory (Frances McDormand) work in the nearby iron mine and processing plant. When Josey expresses an interest in working there too, Glory warns her she will need a tough skin. And boy howdy does she ever!
The men at the plant resent the women, and treat them with much hostility and abuse. Management is mostly all male so there is no one to whom the women can carry their grievances. Eventually the situation with Josey gets so bad that she sues the company, but she has to stand alone and that weakens her case.
Woody Harrelson plays Bill White, the lawyer who takes her case. White represents her not because he thinks she is right and should win, but because a class action sexual harassment suit has never been filed.
The film is shocking in showing the abuse the women face every day at their jobs. It is also shocking to see men act so crudely and hostile to them as recently as the 1980’s. And it is shocking to think that women are still facing this type of hostility in some areas.
Theron is amazing in the role of Josey. She is vulnerable and strong, assertive and tentative. She is everything this complex character needs to be. Her Oscar win came to her for her role in “Monster,” a film not that many people saw. This role should get her another nomination, and possible win. At the least it shows that her selection as the Best Actress of the year in 2003 was no fluke.
McDormand is also outstanding as Glory. She has the gritty look necessary for the role and she knows her way around a Minnesotan accent. Spacek and Jenkins are also perfectly cast as Josey’s parents. The weak link in the film is Harrelson. He isn’t bad in his role; he just isn’t anything special.
The movie is rated R for profanity and violence.
“North Country” is not a perfect movie. There are some gaps in the plot that are never explained. For example, Josey is told at her trial she must have two co-complainants in her suit against the company. Yet even when she doesn’t have them the trial continues.
Also the ending of the film is weak. You want a big revengeful climax and what you get is not that. Still these are minor weaknesses that do not destroy the impact of the story or of Theron’s performance.
“North Country” will make you think, and it will affect your heart and your head. There has been a lot of fluff at the movies this year but this film is dead serious and wonderfully effective in presenting this story in an entertaining and educational way.
“North Country” is one of the year’s best, and so are Theron and McDormand’s performances.
I scored “North Country” a located 8 out of 10.
