Beneath the Harvest Sky

The ending could not have been more perfect. It really brought together the whole story; a circular structure that will leave you undoubtedly moved. I really enjoyed this film... Such a unique story that's explores an interesting and often overlooked way of life; the potato harvesting industry in Maine. It was unlike anything I had seen before, aided by fanatic performances from all of the cast! Everything felt very real. It was interesting to discover that the talented writers and directors - Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly - come from a documentary background! This was definitely incited into the film, with the extremely raw elements of realism. Beautifully written and shot too! I highly recommend this film. It's something out of the ordinary yet it has a deep sense of sorrow and empathy that we can indeed all relate to. Kudos to everyone involved! Great film.

I gave it a nine to help offset the unnecessarily negative reviews. While it's not a perfect film, it's certainly far far better than a 3 or 4. I've watched it a couple of times since its release 10 years ago, and it gets better with a second or even third viewing.

It features a heart-wrenching, stand-out performance from a young Emory Cohen, as a high school graduate trying to leave a small Maine working class farm town and find a better life in Boston with his best friend Dominic (Callan McAuliffe, who plays Alden in TWD) . Aiden Gillen (Game of Thrones) plays his drug-smuggling father, who is a corrupting influence. This is set against a background of the fall potato harvest, and anyone who has lived in a small farm town knows the importance of harvest season.

Emory Cohen's performance as a troubled teen brings to mind the young James Dean in "Rebel without a Cause". Cohen's "Casper" is caught in a black hole of trouble, not entirely of his own making, but which might consume him, and everyone he cares for. Definitely worth a watch.

I watched this a couple years back and I kid you not, I could not remember a single thing about it. Ended up rewatching it today and eventually some things came back to me.

It's about 2 teenage-friends in a smalltown in the middle of nowhere; Casper and Dominic. Dominic is a 'good kid' while Casper is the town 'bad boy' who's extracurricular activities involves being part of his father Drug business.

The pace is really slow but the acting is good enough to still keep your patience (especially Emory Cohen who's absolutely brilliant as Casper).

While the main focus is on them there is plenty of other characters that are put in focus from time to time, one of which is Casper's father (albeit he's not very fatherly) played by Aiden Gillen who most people will recognize as Petyr Bailish from Game Of Thrones).

And even though there is a criminal element to the plot I should point out that it's not a crime-movie in that regard, most of the film is about life in a small town and all that that entails.

The characters feel realistic, especially the teenagers whom I can imagine a lot of people can relate too and visually it looks nice as well.

But although the movie does have a lot of plus-points I have to consider the fact that I had managed to forget all about it and that it lacks that extra emotional punch, so I can only get myself to give it a 6, a strong 6 though.

I just read a review where they said you are on the edge of your seat with anticipation. I was on the edge of my seat bout to walk out maybe, but certainly not with anticipation. This movie was slow slow slow, and the sound trac only added to the crawl. Don't get me wrong I did give it a few stars, but that was only because the acting was plausible. If you didn't read the summary before watching you may have a hard time figuring out where exactly they are. Canada, Maine, Oklahoma (for the Tulsa reference)... but in the end you know where you are... on the edge of your seat thankful this movie has ended. On one side note this film does make you appreciate what you may have at your own home... kids with direction and responsibility. One last thing about this movie that bothered me, kinda. Everybody in the movie seemed angry and bitter. Is this little town so depressing that it causes such bitterness and unloving parents? Who knows. Watch this movie at your own risk. I recommend painting a wall before sitting down to watch. My guess is that you'll turn to the wall and watch that dry instead.

It's VanBuren, Maine. Dominic Roy (Callan McAuliffe) and Casper (Emory Cohen) are best friends. Casper's girlfriend Tasha (Zoe Levin) tells him that she's pregnant. He comes from a dysfunctional family. He disrupts class, breaking and entering for his criminal dad Clayton (Aidan Gillen) and hates his mother (Carrie Preston). Clayton pulls him into the world of smuggling drug in from Canada. Dominic hopes to move to Boston with Casper. He lives with his mother (Carla Gallo). He works hard on the potato farm to earn the money to buy a car. Nice girl Emma (Sarah Sutherland) is also working there to pay for college.

It has a lot of the trappings of indie filmmaking of today without the something special to distinguish it from the rest. It has the dysfunctional lower class folks. The story is unoriginal. It has the hand-held shaky camera work. The two leads just aren't special enough. They are fine actors but there are not stars. They don't show or allowed to show the spark that would energize this movie. It moves a bit too slowly and needs to elevate the danger much sooner.