Writer: John Krasinski, Matt Damon (Screenplay) Dave Eggers (Story)
Starring: Matt Damon, Hal Holbrook, Frances McDormand, Titus Welliver, John Krasinski, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lucas Black, Scoot McNairy
Plot: A salesman for a natural gas company experiences life-changing events after arriving in a small town, where his corporation wants to tap into the available resources.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Good Drama
Story: Promised Land starts as we meet Steve Butler (Damon) one of the best salesmen for a natural gas company where he makes the most and cheapest purchases within his company. Steve teams up with Sue (McDormand) to meet the locals of a small town where the natural gas is up for grabs.
What looks like an easy job takes a turn for worse when Frank Yates (Holbrook) challenges the idea of fracking in the town which leads to an environmental guy Dustin Noble (Krasinski) supporting the town. This leads to a battle to make his sell go through with the town turning on him supporting Dustin.
Promised Land is a drama that throws us into the world of potential fracking pros and cons. We get to see how small town America is struggling with money and can get taken advantage of by big businesses. We get to see how even the guy trying to make the deals can fall victim to what is the right to wrong choices being made. The story does flow nicely but in the end it does all come down to an audience member needing to be in the right mood for this film.
Actor Review
Matt Damon: Steve works for a natural gas company and is one of the best in the business always making the sales. He is on the verge of a promotion but this latest sale which seems so easy takes a turn for the worse when he has to go against an environmentalist while he also falls for a local girl. Matt is good in this leading role.
John Krasinski: Dustin is an environmentalist who has come to the town to warn them of the effects of fracking making Steve’ job very difficult. He is a victim of what happens to fracking and his evidence puts the deal up in the air. John makes for a good opposite to Damon through the film.
Frances McDormand: Sue is the partner of Steve’s, she keeps him in line while keeping her own relationship with her son going. She approaches her deals differently to Steve and is always someone he can throw ideas around with. Frances is good as this supporting character throughout.
Support Cast: Promised Land has a supporting cast that all feel like different members of a tight community the town is with each of their own problems.
Director Review: Gus Van Sant – Gus does a good job directing this showing us Steve’s struggles through the situation.
Drama: Promised Land puts us into the morale questions of whether short term money is enough to cover long environmental effects.
Settings: Promised Land puts us in the small town where each moment in the film feels like we are following a small community.
Suggestion: Promised Land is one to try mostly because the subject isn’t the most popular for the audience to see. (Try It)
Best Part: The questions being asked about whether fracking is the right decision or not.
Worst Part: Slightly to campaign heavy.
Believability: This is a subject going on around the world at the moment.
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $15 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 46 Minutes
Tagline: What’s your price?
Overall: Very informative drama about the pros and cons of fracking.
Rating