Movie Review: 'Promised Land' -- 3 stars
Matt Damon Credit: Matt Damon
Promised Land
3 stars
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Starring Matt Damon, John Krasinski, Frances McDormand Rated R
Opens Dec. 28
The effects of the dour economy are most deeply felt in rural America, where the struggles of the manufacturing and farm sectors have left a plethora of dying communities and lingering uncertainty.
"Promised Land," from director Gus Van Sant, taps into that unease. Written by Matt Damon and John Krasinski, it's an old-fashioned Frank Capra-esque portrait of a natural gas salesman, Steve (Damon), who has a crisis of conscience after arriving in a small Pennsylvania town to convince its residents to permit fracking on their properties.
Fracking, a lucrative but controversial method of extracting natural gas by fracturing rocks, is a loaded subject, of course, and the movie has faced plenty of advance criticism from the energy industry. But this isn't your everyday agenda-driven story of industrial villains and green-minded heroes.
The movie takes great pains to show you Steve's perspective - that he's bringing economic relief to a region that needs it - and it's more about the ethical dilemma facing him and the town than easy answers to tricky questions.
"Promised Land" thoughtfully considers where we are and where we're headed.
Bitter cold and some snow return ... Tuberculosis case in school ... Mariah at the Olympics ... State Democratic convention
Bitter cold and some snow return ... Tuberculosis case in school ... Mariah at the Olympics ... State Democratic convention
