User reviews

This is the story of a German mail order bride who moves to a small, Minnesota town filled with Norwegians who don't exactly embrace difference.

The movie creates a palatable tension between doing what you need to do to fit in with your community (what you're "supposed" to do) and finding love with someone who is different (what you should do).

That message resonates in today's political climate.

A funny, poignant, wonderfully acted movie, Sweet Land has the confidence to treat us as if we are intelligent. It lets us fill in the blanks and trusts us to understand what's going on without telling us everything. While this makes us work a little rather than sit back and be spoon fed the entertainment, the effort is well worth it.

For example, when characters speak German, instead of using subtitles, the filmmakers know we'll get the gist of the scene - even though we don't get the exact verbiage. Selim lets the emotion carry us and it works. This is delicate work but it's handled with care and talent.

Sweet Land is about how love is stronger than fear.

Very, very good movie...the kind they don't make in Hollywood. I'd compare it to Jean de Florette and the sequel Manon of the Spring. It's a simple story with complex emotions where the smallest details, like someone taking a huge bite of potatoes, say a lot.

Excellent movie.

This is a wonderful, artistically-shot film which, despite its sweet title, introduces a lot of subthemes about the underbelly of human nature. Presented to us as a flashback within a flashback, the story takes us back to the last century where socio/political/religious rules were hard to get around. But despite it being a period piece, we see powerful reflections of modern day.

Whether we're yelling "Witch!" or "German spy!" or "Pinko Communist!" or "Muslim Terrorist!", American society has always had a love affair with xenophobia that keeps frothing to the surface every few decades. What's interesting & inspiring about this movie is that it shows how individuals can still exist within this harsh, judgemental environment. Though society may be unfair & ignorant, we needn't get depressed & cynical about it. Romance can still exist.

In keeping with that theme, the story is very bright and light-hearted (though never sappy), and that's what I enjoyed most about it. The landscape is vibrant, and the director made full use of colour, unlike many period pieces that are shot in dull sepias. On the contrary, being a flashback, this film presents a somewhat dreamy, storybook image which is very nice on the eyes.

The star, Elizabeth Reaser, is so convincing as the European immigrant, and the way she unleashes rapid volleys of German and Swedish(?) is so authentic that I was certain she was a real-life German who couldn't speak any English. Imagine my surprise when I found out she's a Michigan girl. Her performance alone is worth the price of admission. If all mail-order-brides were like her, I'd be tempted to send away for a half dozen.

Simple and beautiful love story Sweet Land (2005) had won its creator Ali Selim Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. In the film, love triumphs over ignorance, prejudice, social hardships, and the other obstacles, not the last one, the difference in cultures and languages. German immigrant Inge (Lois Smith, a wonderful but rarely seen in the movies stage and TV actress) tells her life story to her grandson after burying her husband of 48 years on their farm in Minnesota in 1968. The story begins in 1920, when Inge (Elizabeth Reaser as Young Inge) just arrived to Minnesota as a mail-order bride to Norwegian-American farmer Olaf (Tim Guinee). Discovering that Inge is actually German, the community and its spiritual leader Minister Sorrensen refused to accept Inge as Olaf's wife echoing the anti-German propaganda in the country after WWI. The touching tale of a young couple's falling in love, longing for each other, wishing to live and work together on the land till death do them part, and finally making the community accept their love, is beautifully shot and moves in a quiet thoughtful way where every small detail matters. Elizabeth Reaser as young Inge is radiant and it is hard to take your eyes off her face and smile. Her Inge is strong, intelligent, beautiful, and funny. Indeed, sweet movie.

A beautiful, old fashioned love story and a tribute to the American immigrant experience. A German mail order bride travels to post WWI Minnesota to wed a Norwegian-American farmer, but once there, she faces anti-German prejudice from the locals. A sweet, gentle movie about love growing played out under the wide open blue skies of the Mid West

Sweet Land touched my heart. My roots are from the same farming background as Olaf and Inge's. Seeing them brought back stories and memories of my own growing up and family history. It slowed down the pace for just a little while and brought back into focus what should really matter in life--and that is the people you journey though it with. The story is simple and yet it is far deeper and more touching than most movies that hit the screen today. It is a story of hardship and the joy and pride that come from hard work. It is a love story and a story of strength. And it is a story with humor and valuable lessons that I believe America's heartland was raised on. It also shares a mindset of a time gone by, an understanding of why our grandparents and parents thought as they did and believed the things they believed. When we know and understand the past, it helps shape and lead us to the future. I appreciate the time and energy that went into the making of this film. It is a treasure.

As a total movie addict, I was very surprised after attending a screening of this film to be so overwhelmed by the quality of the photography and the depth of the acting.

The visual images in this film are simple, yet breathtakingly beautiful in their composition. It is a rare masterpiece with amazing use of time, depth and perspective. The development of the romantic tension between the main characters in the love story was so powerful and yet so subtle, that it was like a fresh breath mint on a cold January morning.

The used of time and flashbacks is amazing, and the editing and pace of the movie is very accomplished for an independent, low budget film. I will not be surprised if I hear about this move at Oscar time.

Sweet Land (2005) was written and directed by Ali Selim. Elizabeth Reaser plays Inge, a mail-order bride who travels to Minnesota to marry Olaf (portrayed by Tim Guinee).

Because Inge is from Germany, not from Scandinavia, she finds social and legal obstacles to her wedding. The plot proceeds from this significant problem.

Tim Guinee is a strong actor, as are some of the actors in supporting roles: John Heard as the troubled Minister Sorrensen, Ned Beatty as Banker Harmo, and Alex Kingston as farm housewife Brownie.

However, the movie belongs to Elizabeth Reaser. She is a brilliant actor. She's even more talented than we realize. She doesn't speak German, but in the film she had to speak German as if it were her first language. Also, she had to speak English with a German accent. Somehow, she carries it off.

It's worth mentioning one aspect of the movie that was unintentionally funny. Reaser has been traveling across the ocean and then halfway across the continent. She arrives looking fresh and tidy. She continues to be fresh and tidy--without a bath--for days after she arrives. Similarly, Alex Kingston is supposed to be a farm housewife who is the mother of nine children, but she still looks youthful and slender. OK--they're beautiful women, but director Selim should have given them a few signs of wear.

I enjoyed this film, and I recommend it highly. We saw the film on DVD, where it worked well. The movie has a strong IMDb rating of 7.3. I think that it's even better than that.

Sadly, if something isn't blowing up or someone isn't sawing someone's limb off, too many people and kids have become numb to violence and need a more violent fix that never gets satisfied. This is a wonderful glimpse into the hard life of being an immigrant from a foreign land, just like today, but even harder. Great casting supported by wonderful cinematography, and yes...story line. Like many of our ancestors, yet we forget wanting to shut the door behind us and not accept and celebrate this wonderful world of variety. Please give it a chance and be patient and not expect a James Bond action thriller. See it with open eyes and context it was meant to be viewed in.

This film is most absorbing, but you have to be willing to watch a film that unfolds slowly. It is magnificently acted with two young actors -- Elizabeth Reaser and Tim Guinee as the leads. There is relatively little dialogue, and much of it is in German or Norwegian with no subtitles, which conveys to the audience the difficulty that they have communicating with each other.

The two leads are heavily dependent upon the expressiveness of their eyes, which they do with great delicacy. The film is well-paced and beautifully photographed. The only difficulty I had was catching on that the action took place in three time periods, not just two. You had 1920 when Inge, a mail order bride comes to rural Minnesota. (The scenery looked authentic, and since some of the credits are for institutions in Montevideo, MN, a town to which I once traveled, I can understand the veracity of the setting.)

The second time period, which is not so clear, is when Olaf, Inge's husband has passed away, and the third time period is more or less the present when Inge's grandson is faced with a decision of whether or not to sell the farm. There are some visual clues to separate the second and third time periods, but they are quite subtle.

The second is probably around 1960, marked by the glasses frames that Inge, as an old woman is wearing; and the third, by a jacket that her great-granddaughter is wearing. Otherwise, the time differences are not totally clear, particularly at the beginning of the film, where you have flashbacks.

The film struck me with its apparent accuracy. Twenty years ago, I knew an elderly Norwegian immigrant who had been the wife of a North Dakota farmer, and she had told me stories of farm life in the 1920s and 1930s. It required about 15 people to operate a steam threshing machine, and she told me about preparing lunch each day during the harvest season for 20 men; and about reading by candlelight at night; using an indoor pump at the sink; and seeking to keep warm during the brutal North Dakota winters.

I visited the woman and her daughters and grand-daughter in her modern apartment which was a far cry from life during her youth. It blows me away to think about the change in this one woman's singular life from her youth to her later years -- greater changes than in any prior period in history. (In 1946, there were still more horse drawn tractors than mechanized ones in use in the U.S., and there wasn't much electricity in rural areas until the New Deal.)

Although I may have missed some, I perceived no wrong notes in the film which added to the enjoyment of watching it. A most charming film from beginning to end.

i knew nothing about it before i saw sweet land at a film "class" preview. what a wonderful surprise. it is slow, thoughtful, with frames that are like beautiful photographs. the director gets more across with silence and facial expressions than most dialogue does. the actors are unique individuals - each performance a gem. and, the story is touching - the decent salt of the earth assimilated farmers who feel threatened by "other" outsiders. the two main characters beautifully portrayed as they work side by side and get to know each other. unique heartland music that respects the acting and dialogue and enhances without taking over at all. i highly recommend this for filmgoers who want to be touched and immersed. kudos to ali selim and fine company.

'Sweet Land' manages a difficult feat: it is a historical film with a clear message for the present, yet it avoids becoming either nostalgically cloying or preachily shrill. "Banking and farming don't mix" is not merely a phrase heard several times; it is the key to the confrontation of two utterly different, and utterly irreconcilable, attitudes toward land and life. Ned Beatty, as the chief banker, embodies the one, driven by money and power, harshly and repellently (it's a superb performance), but he and his few allies, and what they stand for, cannot completely overwhelm what most of the other characters, major and minor, believe in and represent: the importance of human connections, with each other and with the jobs they must carry out.

There is scarcely a false step in this film. Elizabeth Reaser brings Inge to life completely believably and very poignantly. We truly care about this woman, a fact made all the more astonishing when we realize that for a sizable part of the film she speaks in languages most of the American audience will not understand. It's one of the best performances I've seen in a long time. Similarly convincing is Tim Guinee as Olaf, her perplexed husband-to-be. His struggles to overcome prejudice (his own and that of his neighbors) are played with a delightful mix of humor, pathos, and inner strength which mirror the complex set of forces with which he must deal. Much the same could be said, albeit on a smaller scale, of the lesser parts; these performers inhabit these roles as if they had already lived them for real. Watch the interactions between Alan Cumming and Alex Kingston, for example; these are two people who are deeply and genuinely in love, but who recognize and accept the flaws of the other. There is no conventional 'happy marriage' insipidity here-- with the result that their marriage comes across as truly happy in a far more profound manner than so many others on screen.

Visually the film is often lovely. It is not as lusciously filmed as Terrence Malick's 'Days of Heaven', with which it shares an underlying approach, but it also avoids the occasional glossiness which undercut the down-to-earth elements of the earlier film's plot. Here the images rarely feel forced, and never overwhelm the intense sense of physical presence so vital to both plot and message. Also powerful is the use of two framing stories, linked to but not dependent upon the central plot. Indeed, the emotional climax of the film actually resides in the contemporary story, something we will not realize until almost the very end of the film. What seems a mere narrative trick suddenly resonates with tremendous power, and brings home the film's central theme beautifully yet without undue emphasis.

The flaws are few. The music, usually vaguely folksy without being especially engaging, is more than once rather too modern in its feel and too diffuse in its impact to support the visuals. The music is the weakest element in the film; at times it sounds almost as if the decision to add music was taken so late in production that all that was possible was some improvisational doodling, which fits neither the delicately shaped mood nor the careful pacing and structuring of the action. The important part of Minister Sorrensen is a bit awkwardly written, with his changes of outlook being rather too sudden; John Heard's performance, though thoughtful, could likewise be more nuanced (he was probably responding to the part as written, but in this case he would have been better off to play against the script).

'Sweet Land' is a beautiful, funny, and often very moving film, with a deep and respectful sense of history and human relations. Both the action and the thoughts it provokes will linger long after the curtain closes. The film has much to offer, and I recommend it very highly.

Delightful, richly imagined story of a young immigrant woman who comes from Norway to Minnesota in 1919 as a "mail order bride" to marry a Norwegian farmer. By turns slapstick funny, tender, ironic and sad, this movie successfully evokes the difficult life of foreign homesteaders in a new land, in a story told simply, with no pretensions and with a wondrous range of nuances.

We confront outrageous instances of religious, ethnic and political bigotry, and the cruel predations of wealthy money lenders who don't blink an eye when pressing foreclosures, ruining families who have sat elbow to elbow with them at church every Sunday for years. But we also see examples of kindheartedness, longing for love and gradually dawning romance, individual integrity and group justice, not to mention hilarious moments, both intentional and unintended.

Inge (Elizabeth Reaser, a luminous beauty) is the stalwart German woman who comes to marry the reticent Olaf (Tim Guinee), who had thought she was Norwegian like him, since she came from a town in Norway. Olaf is a character straight out of a Garrison Keillor monologue: he's the quintessential shy Norwegian bachelor farmer.

Inge, on the other hand, is deferential only because she can't speak English or Norwegian, only German, and that only with the church pastor, Rev. Sorrensen (John Heard), who refuses to conduct the wedding because Inge has no citizenship papers and, ironically, he is suspicious of her German roots, in a time when anti-German sentiment was still at a peak following WW I. Once Inge's got a handle on language, she starts to show her pluck, for, beneath her stunning physical beauty, Inge is in fact a forceful woman.

Comic relief is afforded in a marvelous turn by Alan Cumming as Frandsen, another - and altogether inadequate – farmer. Rather than actually work at farming, Frandsen would much rather entertain his wife and nine kids, and his friends, with funny gestures and tunemaking. Cumming's performance reminds me of Ray Bolger as the scarecrow in Wizard of Oz, or Håkan Hagegård, as Papageno in Bergman's "The Magic Flute," or some of the masters of physical comedy in the silent film era. Rounding out a superb cast are Ned Beatty as Harmo, a ruthless banker, and Alex Kinston as Frandsen's wife, Brownie.

Director Ali Selim, a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, had a highly successful career making commercials for television before undertaking this picture, his debut feature narrative film. He worked from a short story by Bemidji writer Will Weaver, called "Gravestone Made of Wheat." The movie was shot on location in a rural area of southwest Minnesota. This film will leave you laughing and crying. It is a treasure. (In English, German and Norwegian) My grades: 8.5/10 (A-) (Seen on 12/26/06)

I was also able to view this beautiful film at a pre-screening in Northfield through St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges. I cannot praise this film enough. I am so excited to have Ali make more films and so anxious for this film to be released in theaters so that everyone may enjoy it. I also stayed after the film for a Q&A with Ali (the director) and it was really interesting to hear him speak about the film. Fantastic film, gorgeous filming, heartfelt story. Tears rolled down my face at the end; extremely touching film. I think people of all ages will appreciate this film. The director comes from commercial work and advertising so his transition to film was interesting to hear about, but it seemed to be extremely successful! I can't say enough about Sweet Land!

This film is marvelous, I was able to have a sneak peak as a student here at the U of M because my teacher (Tom Pope) actually aided in the screenplay of this wonderful debut. Avoiding all the clichés of a typical Hollywood romance, this one doesn't go strait for the tear ducts but if it doesn't warm those puppies up by the end than you're a heartless person. Excellent cast, story and directing, I cannot wait till this is out there for the public. There was a Q&A afterward with the director (Ali) and the producers, and it was so interesting to hear and see their processes in their own words, wonderful men who deserve all the success in the world with this film, a great movie for all ages, truly original and moving.

I attended the screening of Sweet Land in Montevideo on October 26. Originally scheduled for 2 shows each on 2 nights, the response was so overwhelming more shows were added.Sweet Land turned out to be a great love story that people of all ages can enjoy. I know I enjoyed it tremendously.. Spectacular acting producing and directing. Breathtaking rural Minnesota scenery. A stellar cast that features relative newcomers to experienced performers. I would love to tell you more but it would explain too much of the plot. With that all I can say is you will enjoy a great down to earth movie.. Truly a great job Ali, and all that were involved in the project. I cannot wait to see it again and look forward to when it hits the big screens across the country.

Like the previous reviewer, my roots are also of similar farming background. This film reminds us that many current issues - such as immigration and prejudice - are not so new. It also provides great insight into the challenges and obstacles faced (and overcome) by previous generations, in settling the land and creating so much we now take for granted. The cinematography and presentation techniques remind me of great films from the past, when telling a great story was top priority, instead of fire-hosing the audience with special effects and technical tricks. I absolutely agree with the previous reviewer - this film is a treasure, and worth seeing many times.

Yes, it's earnest, well-intentioned, and graced by talented people both in front of and behind the camera, and yes, it's the sort of movie that film festival audiences react to with gushes of praise, but the truth is, this obvious labor of love is glacially paced, awkwardly constructed, and excruciatingly dull. "Narrative drive" is clearly of minor concern during these proceedings. There are some pleasing images, the cast is attractive and well chosen, and one can't help but give it points for being a worthy effort, but overall "Sweet Land" can best be categorized as a "noble failure." (Note the electric light-switch by the door in a scene with Ned Beatty. If the house has electricity, why is everyone using kerosene lamps?)

In late 1967, Inge (Lois Smith) loses her husband Olaf. Later on after she dies in the Minnesota family farmhouse, her grandson Lars is offered $2.2M for the land. Lars is conflicted as he recalls his grandfather's wake when Inge told him about her life with Olaf. It starts with Inge Altenberg (Elizabeth Reaser) arriving on the train carrying her phonograph in 1920. She's Norwegian who speaks little English. She is arranged to marry the reserved Olaf Torvik (Tim Guinee) although she mistakes the talkative Frandsen (Alan Cumming) as Olaf at the beginning. Her German background and a misunderstanding about the socialist party cause trouble for the couple. The Lutheran minister (John Heard) refuses to marry them and the county clerk has only bureaucratic red tapes. Harmo (Ned Beatty) is Frandsen's wife's rich banker cousin who owns the grain elevator. She is forced to stay with Frandsen and his much more capable wife Brownie (Alex Kingston) with their vast number of kids. She eventually stays at Olaf's while he sleeps in the barn. Harmo is foreclosing on Frandsen's farm anyways.

There are so many touching moments. Each scene is written to its most powerful in a simple way like the picture of Olaf which she carries but the crease goes right through his face. Even her important picture is taken with the only piece of film that they had. And the girl that lost everything before she even arrived is heart breaking. The language barrier is so powerful in both drama and comedy. Both Elizabeth Reaser and Tim Guinee play it seriously which allows the humor to come right through. It is romantic and compelling. It is truly a sweet romance.

Ali Selim is a gifted artist and one that surely will continue to create magical films such as his masterpiece SWEET LAND in the coming years. Selim wrote the screenplay based on Will Weaver's perfect little short story 'A Gravestone Made of Wheat', found the perfect setting for his tale of the trials of immigrants entering America searching for the American Dream in the spacious grandeur of Nebraska, and selected a cast to bring life to his story that simply could not be better. This film MUST be considered among the best at the time of awards.

Though the time of the story is 1920, the film opens much later in slow motion, only soft music comes from the soundtrack, yet the actors are mouthing words that make us realize we are witnessing the passing of someone important. When the characters begin to speak, the story of remembering what love and trials and experiences years ago were like, transporting us to a station house where we meet Inge (Elizabeth Reaser), a Norwegian/German girl who has come to America to marry a man she has never met, a man who will provide her with home, marriage, and a chance to start afresh. Her 'intended' is Olaf (Tim Guinee) who is shy and unsure of how to make Inge a part of his life: Inge's German background makes her suspect to the townsfolk who fear the course of Germany's power in WW I. Inge speaks no English but has been learning through a common phrase book. Olaf's friend Frandsen (a brilliant role for Alan Cumming), married to Brownie (Alex Kingston) with at least eight children already, helps Inge connect with Olaf. The intended marriage cannot take place with the minister (John Heard) because Inge can't speak English and because she is German... And there begins the trial that places Inge and Olaf in a home unmarried and fending for themselves.

Through extraordinary acts of love bestowed upon Frandsen and Brownie (threatened with eviction from their farm) Inge and Olaf gain the respect of the townspeople and gradually are appreciated for the strong couple they are. They are married, and have children, and the story proceeds to the point where it started, where the aged Inge (now played with humility, grace and style by Lois Williams) carries on the integrity of the departed Olaf and brings closure to her family's disparities through her bonding to her son Lars (Patrick Heusinger and later Stephen Pelinski). Both Inge and Olaf wished to be buried in the soil of their land that raised the wheat that gave them material and spiritual sustenance. And it is done.

There are numerous fine cameo roles portrayed by Ned Beatty, Paul Sand, Jodie Markell, Sage Kermes, Kirsten Frantzich, Stephen Yoakam, and Karen Landry. But the equal 'stars' of this breathtaking (and heart-taking) film are cinematographer David Tumblety and musical scoring by Thomas Lieberman and Mark Orton. The end credits are screen on the horizon of the farm with the young Inge and Olaf dancing, a touch that places Ali Selim in the ranks with the finest of filmmakers of the day. This is a brilliant, must-see film. Grady Harp, December 06

Welcome to the land of Garrison Keillor. This is a very subtle and beautiful film about a topic that my mother would have been extremely aware of. Being of German descent (a family that began farming in the late 1800's), she and her brothers put up with a lot during the war. They had to make the decision at that point to not speak German, even among themselves. While they weren't put to the test as much (since their community was mostly German), it was always an issue. I think what makes this film is that there is little like it in the film world. The people at those Lutheran, soft-spoken, men-of-few- words farmers who go about their business, trying to stay ahead of the bank. The specter of socialism scares the banker because he can divide and conquer and take the land away from them without much effort. There's a lot of the same fear going on these days and people are awfully forgetful about what brought us here and awfully trusting of the potentially oppressive financiers. This film is so quiet and yet has such an edge to it. It's about true love and trust and how we pass our heritage on to others.

I will add a totally irrelevant note. I had the pleasure of actually working in theatre with two of the minor characters during my college days in the 70's. Also, some fine work by Guthrie Theatre alums. See this film. You won't be disappointed.

This movie was A-W-E-S-O-M-E. It was brilliantly executed, well acted and perfectly paced. If I had to muster one complaint I would say that there were a few spots where the music telegraphed a little too much of what we were supposed to be feeling. Aside from that it was just wonderful.

Set soon after World War 1, in a time when we knew the difference between good and bad, still had real heroes, played Baseball and believed that tomorrow would be better than today, the movie is a phenomenal commentary on what it is to be an American. It tells a story of "simple farmers with honest dreams" who are struggling to become English speaking Americans as small town mores and governmental paranoia work to keep them apart. It has a kind of "Days of Heaven" vibe, but I actually liked this more than Malick's film. The light and photography are great (nice to see someone using film again!) and a lot of the frames are composed like paintings - the spirit of American Gothic is evoked more than once.

The lead actress, Elizabeth Reaser is great - she wears her entire inner-life on her face and communicates the whole of her emotional spectrum with a look, a nod or a raised the eyebrow without ever going over the top or getting overly-sentimental.

But perhaps the film's greatest strength is the fact that the filmmakers never stooped to sacrifice their character's humanity to make a political point. Yes, the message of this film is timely but often times with material like this, filmmakers have a horrible tendency to impose their will on the characters and either get condescending or put words in their mouths. It was wonderful that all involved here trusted the material enough to not do that.

This film deserves more a lot recognition than it's getting. It's a damn shame.