Far North (1988)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Sam Shepard

Writer (WGA):

Sam Shepard (written by)

Release Date:

11 November 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Cast

Jessica Lange	...	Kate
Charles Durning	...	Bertrum
Tess Harper	...	Rita
Donald Moffat	...	Uncle Dane
Ann Wedgeworth	...	Amy
Patricia Arquette	...	Jilly
Nina Draxten	...	Gramma
Tim Hanrahan	...	Boy in Front Seat (as Timothy Hanrahan)
Pearl Fuller	...	Older Nurse
Mary Russell	...	Baby Kate
Sandra Iverson	...	Young Kate
Sarah Gramse	...	Adolescent Kate
Paolo Rossi	...	Boy in Woods
Lindsey Handel	...	Young Rita
Melissa Sue Anderson	...	Young Nurse (as Melissa Anderson)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:14A | Canada:14A (Ontario) | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Duluth, Minnesota, USA

Company:

Circle JS Productions

Soundtrack:

Voo Doo Child

A wretched, pointless waste of time and money.

Within ten minutes of the beginning of this movie both my girlfriend and I realized it was going to be horrible, and were tempted to stop it right there. But, driven by the same impulse that leads motorists to rubberneck when passing car crashes, we couldn't help but watch the whole thing.

It's just awful. I can't really think of a good thing to say about this movie. Well, maybe I can think of one -- at least it doesn't drag. All 85 minutes are packed...with some of the most execrable filmmaking I've seen! The script is terrible, and the direction is weak by TV-movie standards (let alone those of a major motion picture). The whole thing feels forced and stagy, and there's hardly a line of believable dialogue to be found. The plot is a succession of threadbare improbabilities and contrivances, devoid of meaning or impact. The score and cinematography were both unmemorable, though the latter was OK.

As Maltin says, the cast is entirely wasted -- but they certainly don't go to great lengths to try to redeem the material; only Lange turns in a passable performance. Durning is lousy, as is the rest of the supporting cast. And Patricia Arquette is amazingly -- and I mean AMAZINGLY -- awful as Jilly; she seems to have decided that about 75 to 80 percent of her lines would be best served by breaking into an incredibly irritating shriek.

This is honestly one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Even the ending -- where many bad movies pick up a bit, in excitement if not in content -- is terrible! It's just as meaningless as the rest of the film, and offers neither a satisfying resolution nor a thought-provoking ambiguity, but just a dull thud which leaves the whole thing feeling like a meandering, pointless waste of time.

Bottom line: avoid at all costs.