Earthwork

This is a film that you root for. An indie film with great heart and honesty. John Hawkes, Chris Bachand and the rest of the cast deliver truthful performances that inspire. The audience can feel their passion, pain and most of all hope and the importance of friendship. The production makes most of what I'm sure was a limited budget.

This film deserves to be seen and hopefully as it continues to play and word of mouth continues to spread Chris Ordal, the screenwriter/director will have more opportunities to share his vision.

A side note: The opening credit sequence that represents the artist's work is truly beautiful.

I saw this film in a private showing and enjoyed it. I am predisposed to like indie films and this one did not disappoint. The story contained drama, heartbreak and wonderful interactions between the characters; and believe me, they were characters. The events will have you saying "You can't make this stuff up". Fact truly is stranger than fiction.

It was interesting to see John Hawkes as an entirely different character than the one he played in "Winter's Bone". He is a chameleon. James McDaniel was memorable as "Lone Wolf" and Laura Kirk played the long suffering wife with delicacy and grace.

I was struck by the film story. The fragile nature of the actual earthwork process, the complete commitment to realizing the installation against all odds: a fraying marriage, rupturing finances, a lack of real community support both back in Kansas and then on the Upper West Side of Manhatten. It is David and Goliath, with David's currency dissipating like so much sand leaking from a bag into the wind. All this against the harsh glare of New York City, huge corporate interests, the fickleness of the national media - all carried on a story line about a vulnerable family dynamic, a profound message of hope and a poignancy about a vulnerable planet, the challenge of conveying a message of sustainability and an example of respecting the earth and all that it is asked to do for us. I was very moved by the film and feel it's message is very strong and hopeful and needs to be heard by a very broad audience.

From the films open with Stan as a young man first finding his passion in an instant as rain drops fall, to the title credits so nicely woven in to the fabric of the stunning cinematography all the way to final credit roll, you cannot take your eyes off the screen. Every aspect of this just works.

You must see the beauty of this film for yourself. I could never have expected a film of this subject matter to keep me glued to my chair while concerned if Stans plan will pan out. The hurdles he faces, the mounting debt, the needs of his new surrogate family in the city, his wife and child and his passion for the earthwork draw you in. Everything flowed. I forgot there were editors, camera people, grips, actors, and all of the other folks who make movies come to life. This was seamless and stunning to watch. Without car crashes or special effects, this film captured my heart and attention. It brought tears to my eyes and laughter to my world. I will never look at a plot of land the same again. The entire team should be proud! (This is an excerpt of a longer review that I wrote)

A simple, yet moving portrayal of a man committed to his art and his vision of the world. I loved this movie and can't recommend it enough to indie film fans. Great performance by John Hawkes and very strong debut for Chris Ordal. Ordal is definitely someone to watch. Although fans of Stan Herd will most certainly love the film, I think new viewers will be captivated by his story and his "crop art". The crop art is both epic and visually stunning. Also has one of the best opening credit sequences of the last couple of years. Hard to believe they pulled this movie off for $1m. A real credit goes to the filmmakers and crew for pulling that off.