Synopsis
A widowed farmer begins a new life on her own terms by fighting against corruption and injustice in her community.
The County
2019 ‘Héraðið’ Directed by Grímur Hákonarson
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Alternative Titles
Milchkrieg in Dalsmynni, Mjólk, la guerre du lait, Mjólk, Melkekrigen, A Resistência de Inga, Oro blanco, Mlijeko, Mælkekrigen, Tejháború, Mjölkkriget, Daleko od Reykjavíku, Milk County
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It really annoys me when a film is described as a comedy and then you watch it and its quite clearly not.
You can't even call this a black comedy because there is nothing remotely funny about the film but that doesn't mean it's a bad.
It's the story of Inga , who runs a deeply indebted dairy farm in a remote valley in Iceland. After a tragic loss, she decides to rise up against the corrupt establishment exploiting her and the local community. This way the widowed farmer begins a new life on her own terms by fighting against corruption and injustice in her community.If this was made in another country like The UK or The US ,…
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Decent yet a bit underwhelming crime drama; not as impressive or depressing as I expected (it’s not Rams, though still better than 90% of what’s out there 😁)
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The County presents an Icelandic rural dairy community’s co-operative institution as a malevolent force, encouraging its farmers to invest in mechanised equipment, lending them the money and then failing to support them through tough times - selling them supplies at a high price and buying back milk at a low price - forcing them into a vicious cycle that ends in foreclosure and possession.
I liked the set up, but what I took at first to be a spare but effective style that respects the audience to fill in the gaps, ended up feeling very thin. There’s just not enough meat on the story to bring its themes to life, restricting it to a simple tale of good versus bad…
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The County is a film about a badass woman farmer, fighting for justice after suffering a terrible loss. Arndis Hrönn Egilsdóttir is very good and convincing. Her acting is one of the things that makes you root for her character.
Relevant story.
Entertaining and informative film. -
(19/30) Iceland
A slow burn about a widowed farmer from the director of Rams. The unique sense of humour falls a little flat this time, however Egilsdóttir is great in the lead role and made the journey worthwhile for me. Still, at 92 minutes it doesn't overstay
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What the characters in this film lack in displays of emotion is more than made up by sheer resolution. A tale of the individual versus the big machine set against the cold and unforgivingly beautiful Icelandic landscape. If they do an English language remake, then Olivia Colman has to be a lock to play Inga.
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53/100
A.V. Club review. More conventional and less inventive than Rams—it’s basically an Icelandic Norma Rae, with one angry widow standing up to a corrupt co-op by starting a rival, farmer-run co-op of her own. Alternates between crowdpleasing defiance (e.g. spraying milk all over the evil corporation’s HQ) and a downbeat assessment of how much change is realistically possible; these two modes compete all the way to the final scene, as our hero sings along to what sounds like ’80s Icelandic pop (she’s the right age) but the sound abruptly cuts out following a cut to an exterior of her car driving into the distance, toward the standard uncertain future. Classic sophomore slump; this feels like someone’s mildly promising feature debut.
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67/100
Grímur Hákonarson’s sensitive drama The County is the tale of one woman’s determined fight against capitalist corruption threatening the social and economic freedom of their locality. Gorgeously shot by Mart Taniel (The Temptation of St. Tony, November), the film is bookended by wide Ceylanesque frames of the vast Icelandic mountains and plains, a visual motif that recurs throughout to complement its portrayal of life in isolation, set against harsh conditions.
Anchored by a moving lead performance from Arndís Hrönn Egilsdóttir (as Inga), The County presents a rather balanced depiction of the dynamics between oppressor and oppressed, even if some of its narrative choices seem a bit too generic to fully do justice to the powerful social commentary it attempts…
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A more accurate rating would be 3.75
Who knew co-ops could be so
Scary!✊unionizzzeeeee ✊ a film for our times
I don’t know if lockdown has made me stupid or something but I’m sure my stupidity is why it got 3.75 and also I need some glasses so I can watch subtitled films without getting a headache. Because that’s probably not helping is it?
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A very heartfelt and relatable story of small-scale resistance. More Norma Rae than Three Billboards, it operates on a quiet, believable level and without any manufactured drama or really any major shifts in the fortunes of the farmers. Just a small victory and some hope. I found it very affecting and sweet and really just love spending time with films like this peopled with non-Hollywood actors who look like real people who might actually run a dairy farm. It often looked and felt just like a documentary, so I wasn't surprised to learn that the director encountered the community and the situation while he was scouting for Rams, and tried to make a doc but the locals wouldn't talk on camera. Bumped up a half star after I learned that, because dang, that's poignant.
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