Humboldt County (2008)

A disillusioned medical student is stranded for a summer in a remote community of counterculture pot farmers, the last place in the world he imagined he would discover himself.

Directors:

Darren Grodsky, Danny Jacobs

Writers:

Darren Grodsky, Danny Jacobs

Stars:

Jeremy Strong, Fairuza Balk, Peter Bogdanovich

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeremy Strong	...	Peter
Fairuza Balk	...	Bogart
Peter Bogdanovich	...	Professor Hadley
Vicky Monroe	...	Sondra
Tarek Zohdy	...	Medical Student
Lawrence Bridges	...	Man in Bathroom
John Murdock	...	Jazz Club Bassist
Lenny Pettinelli	...	Jazz Club Pianist
B. Swislo	...	Jazz Club Drummer
Brad Dourif	...	Jack
Frances Conroy	...	Rosie
Madison Davenport	...	Charity
Chris Messina	...	Max
Geoffrey Robinson	...	Earl (as Geoffrey 'Lizard' Robinson)
Darren Grodsky	...	Bob

Storyline

Peter is burned out: finishing med school at UCLA, failing the bedside manner class his father teaches, no sleep in days. He spends the night with Bogart, a woman he's just met, and the next day, sleepily gets in her car. He wakes up in Arcata, where Bogart's foster family lives in the woods: Max, his daughter, mom, and step dad. They grow marijuana for their own consumption, except for Max, who has planted six hidden patches for one big score. Bogart hates pot farming - feds are on constant patrol - so she splits, leaving Peter to depend on Max for a ride to the bus. A day stretches into two, and Peter puts off leaving. A reckoning with his dad is inevitable: is Peter's rebirth possible?

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Plot Keywords:

bus | school | farming | class | student | 

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Taglines:

Welcome to the Lost Coast

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for drug content and language throughout

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 September 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Costa Perdida

Filming Locations:

Arcata, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$25,933, 28 September 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$81,364, 2 November 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Embark Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Bogart: [in doctor's office] When I came home from the clinic everyone was asleep. Normally they'd hear my truck. We live in the middle of nowhere, so... I parked it about a half a mile down the road and I walked home, but my boyfriend heard. He hears everything. When he came in to see what was wrong, I just tried to pretend to be asleep. But I couldn't hold it in, and I started to cry.
Peter: Go on...
Bogart: Sorry. I was balling my eyes out, and uh, he held me. And I wished... I wished I hadn't done it....
[...]

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Soundtracks

Never Better
Performed by Fil Eisler
Written by 'Fil Eisler' (BMI) and John Deley (ASCAP)
© 2007 Fil Eisler (BMI) and 540 Music (ASCAP)
Courtesy of Own Brand Records

User Reviews

Wonderful indie romp in the forest

A very square medical student find himself (in both senses of the expression) in the forest with a bunch of hippies. Unpredictable plot, gorgeous setting and music. Wonderful characters and acting; Brad Dourif and Frances Conroy particularly great, and of course Bogdanovich. I could have hung out with these people for hours. It was a little bit like Garden State, but maybe more like the Graduate. And had more of a 70s vibe (in a good way) in its complexity and willingness to not explain and simplify all plot points... Best film I've seen in a while--and I see a lot of movies. My pick of the South by Southwest film festival.