Review of Northfork (2003) by Raz C — 18 Nov 2007

The Polish brothers are drawn to dark, surreal themes and sly, wicked humor. Mark and Michael Polish have created a labor of love that is hauntingly beautiful and intriguingly surreal. Shot, almost inevitably, in stark and unforgiving black and white, the film creates an overwhelmingly powerful sense of place and mood. This film is based on the first screenplay by brothers Michael and Mark Polish, though it is the third of their trilogy to be filmed. Set in a small Montana town in the 1950s, this is the story of town with a mythic past that is now doomed. A dam will submerge the town soon, so there is palpable, imagic tension as three storylines develop: first, a young adopted boy, dying, is returned to Fr. Harlan (Nick Nolte) as his parents leave town, so the priest keeps vigil over the youngster and comforts him as much as possible; secondly, six agents (including James Woods and Mark Polish) with a monetary incentive have been sent to roust out those landholders who refuse to budge, and they have a number of surrealistic experiences along the way; finally, whenever the young boy collapses he encounters four purported angels who seem to be searching for him.

It would be interesting to give this premise to a half dozen filmmakers and see the various movies they come up with; in the Polish brothers' case, we get a remarkable melange of images and themes -- angels, death, wings, bearing witness to each other, loneliness and human grief -- all set in a dream-like landscape. The cast is flawless, the pacing is slow (which makes it easier to enjoy the extraordinary visuals), and the stark situation is emphasized using a variety of techniques to film in color though almost always appearing to be black & white.

It's fascinating to listen to the brothers' commentary which tells us, among other things, that these guys were basically bankrupt when they made the film and that their father became the production designer because he was the only person who, when asked to build an ark, just said "How big?".

In addition to a fascinating (and essential) commentary track, extras include a series of featurettes collectively running 36 minutes and called "BareKnuckle Filmmaking: the Construction of Northfork", which delves into the genesis, production and filming of this remarkable film, including great comments from the actors; a trailer; and a Sundance Channel 4-1/2-minute featurette about the brothers in Montana, their homestate and the location of filming.

I'm amazed at the polarity of the reviews on this movie, and would suggest that if you are a person who likes straightforward narrative, this is probably not for you; however, if you enjoy life's amibiguities, mystery, symbolism and earlier Polish Brothers' films -- get this as quickly as you can. It is unique and breathtaking. These talented siblings are two of the most innovative visionaries in cinema today. When others' films are long forgotten, our grandchildren will be watching these films. These guys are totally underappreciated, and I hope they make films forever. It doesn't seem right that they have to struggle to get their works filmed, but I'm so grateful to them for all the passion and effort that they bring to their projects and with which they inspire their colleagues.