Sweet Land

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Sweet Land

PG,

2005,

1h 50m,

Drama/

Romance

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Watchlist

85%

72 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

72 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

When Inge Altenberg (Elizabeth Reaser), a young German woman, arrives in rural Minnesota, she meets Norwegian farmer Olaf Torvik (Tim Guinee), a fellow immigrant. Olaf's parents in Norway have arranged for the two to marry, but problems arise when she doesn't have the proper papers. Despite being unwed, the couple lives and farms together, causing a rift with their community. In the face of considerable hardship, Inge and Olaf toil away and grow closer in the process.

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Critics Consensus

Finding the right balance between subtle and sentimental, Sweet Land moves beyond other similarly-themed dramas with evocative cinematography that plays an equal role to the talented cast.

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Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

Metro Newspaper (UK)

Sep 5, 2008

3/5

The flashback structure adds nothing but length to an already awkward mix of humanist-socialist parable and gently halting love story that's been sat on a shelf since 2005. But even so, it's a surprisingly sweet little treat.

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Anthony Quinn

Independent (UK)

Sep 5, 2008

4/5

At once epic and intimate, Sweet Land offers a stirring account of love and hardship which, aside from a muffed Capra moment towards the end, hardly puts a foot wrong.

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Martin Hoyle

Financial Times

Sep 5, 2008

Nostalgic, gentle, loving: the elegiac mood set against endless rural space inevitably suggests Malick's Days of Heaven. What next from this considerable talent?

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Al Alexander

The Patriot Ledger

May 25, 2013

A-

Ali Selim's visual masterpiece recalls the stark artistry of Terrence Malick and Western lyricism of Larry McMurtry, as it turns every frame into a picture postcard of stunning beauty.

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Brian Orndorf

BrianOrndorf.com

Dec 28, 2009

A

Exceptionally photographed and remarkably performed by actors Tim Guinee and Elizabeth Reaser, Sweet Land is modest, but demonstrative, eager to detail a love story that sustains for a lifetime.

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Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

Sep 15, 2008

3.5/5

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Han S

Oct 14, 2018

Interesting storyline and the way in which it is told. Many of the main actors are spot on with their performances. Especially watch for a few little looks or a smirk from the actors that really say a lot about the characters without a lot of words. One of my all time favorites.

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Apr 27, 2018

Nice movie very slow but a good plot

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Ali Selim

Director

Elizabeth Reaser

Inge Ottenberg

Tim Guinee

Olaf

Alan Cumming

Frandsen

Lois Smith

Old Inge

Ned Beatty

Harmo

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Synopsis

When Inge Altenberg (Elizabeth Reaser), a young German woman, arrives in rural Minnesota, she meets Norwegian farmer Olaf Torvik (Tim Guinee), a fellow immigrant. Olaf's parents in Norway have arranged for the two to marry, but problems arise when she doesn't have the proper papers. Despite being unwed, the couple lives and farms together, causing a rift with their community. In the face of considerable hardship, Inge and Olaf toil away and grow closer in the process.

Director: Ali Selim
Producer: Ali Selim, Alan Cumming
Screenwriter: Ali Selim
Production Co: LasalleHolland
Rating: PG (Brief Partial Nudity|Mild Language)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Oct 13, 2006
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 3, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.7M
Runtime: 1h 50m

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