Matt Damon has always been one of my favorite actors. He has a special ability to outshine everyone around him no matter how good the people around him are. It is actually with great pleasure that I say the new environmental drama Promised Land (the screenplay being written by Damon and John Krasinski) actually does not present this aspect of Damon. The film also features John Krasinski, Frances McDormand and Hal Holbrook among others handing out great performances along with Damon.
In the film---Damon plays Steve Butler---an oil fracker who goes to a small town to make his company millions. Along with his skeptical partner Sue (McDormand)---he goes up against the town. This is not helped when a retired science teacher (Holbrook) goes against Steve and a charming environmentalist (Krasinski) shows up to bring down Steve's company.
Krasinski is charming here and Damon---in a rare instance---plays the jerk. We do not root for Steve and we find Kraninski's Dustin as charming as can be. McDormand is fantastic but that just comes natural to her now. Rosemarie DeWitt shows up as a teacher named Alice who becomes Steve's love interest. Holbrook is great but his character isn't that needed. Also---Titus Welliver plays a convenient store owner and gives a great performance.
Although the film doesn't fully (or for that case at all) explain what oil fracking is but why do they need to? This is an entertaining and well thought out film with a great twist. The idea of exposing the big companies going against the general public is an excellent idea because this stuff is really happening in our lifetimes. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the film is how all the characters are their own people. It reminded me of Fargo (for which McDormand won her Oscar) in that it shows much love for the people of the small town it is portraying.
Promised Land may be flawed but it is also a very, very good, well made film. It doesn't quite rise to the level of the best films of 2012 but it features excellent performances and a fantastic script. You may not enjoy the film if you're not up to date on the corporation schemes that have been going on. However---if you want to see that kind of stuff portrayed accurately in the film or if you're a fan of any of the actors in this film---you are bound to enjoy it.
(4 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for language)
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