Review of Humboldt County (2008) by Joe C — 08 Jun 2010

'Humboldt County' reminds me of Oregon when I first moved there in 1989, before the latest wave of southern Californians moved there to get away from southern California...but tried to turn Oregon into California North.

And by California North, I don't mean northern California, which is very much like Oregon; the community atmosphere, the care, love and concern for one another. Everything about this movie sweeps me back to more carefree days.

The role of ex-Professor Jack Truman seems made for Brad Dourif, so much so that I just can't envision anyone else in it. He made his performance seem as natural as breathing or as natural as the breathtaking scenery in this film.

Frances Conroy as Rosie was every-hippie-mother I knew from my time in the Pacific Northwest, and was the perfect compliment to Jack. Jeremy Strong was ideally cast as Pete, the former medical student cum pot farmer whose issues with his professor/father seemed minor compared to the reality of federal agents threatening the way of life of the people he had grown to love.

And Madison Davenport as Charity was the little hippie girl I knew whose imagination led her to name a stand of shrubs Swan Hollow, her fantasy playground in her family's back yard at the Spirit House south of Salem, Oregon.

I wept openly at several points while watching 'Humboldt County', from the sheer beauty of the place, the beauty of their lives, and the beauty of this film. It's rare a film can take me back to a place and time like this one did; but it did.