A Thousand Acres (DVD)

...local community, Larry whips up a hate campaign against the girls which leads to a climactic showdown in the court room. Ginny is the milder of the two women, apathetic to her abusive father's ways. She see's the better in people and is quick to defend her father despite his at times brutish ways. Rose, however, exists only to pour anger over the people around her. Having only recently survived breast cancer, and living with an abusive violent husband, ...
...odds over their love for a local farmer's son who has recently returned to the land after running away years earlier.

This is a complex and heart wrenching story that focuses mainly on the lives of two sisters as they come to terms with the man that their father is. It also focuses on their relationship as it threatens to crack under the pressure of revelations that would break lesser beings. Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse, she depicts ... more

When father Larry Cook decides to divide up his 1000 acre land between his 3 daughters and their spouses, he doesn't bank on his youngest daughter questioning his actions. But when she does, she is immediately cast out of the family. Its left to older daughters Ginny and Rose to manage the land from there on in. But as debts on the land mount up, and secrets from the past come back to haunt them, Larry expresses doubt over his daughters ability to manage the land. Preying on the sympathy's of the local community, Larry whips up a hate campaign against the girls which leads to a climactic showdown in the court room. Ginny is the milder of the two women, apathetic to her abusive father's ways. She see's the better in people and is quick to defend her father despite his at times brutish ways. Rose, however, exists only to pour anger over the people around her. Having only recently survived breast cancer, and living with an abusive violent husband, Rose is a bitter woman who speaks her mind regardless of who it might hurt. Both women find themselves at odds over their love for a local farmer's son who has recently returned to the land after running away years earlier.

This is a complex and heart wrenching story that focuses mainly on the lives of two sisters as they come to terms with the man that their father is. It also focuses on their relationship as it threatens to crack under the pressure of revelations that would break lesser beings. Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse, she depicts a stunning but bare land, and pulls power house performances from her leads. Jessica Lange is typically mesmerising, grief stricken by shocking insights to her father that she had locked away years before. The expressions required come easier to her than the other leads, and she gives a very real heart-tugging performance. So its therefore strange that Michelle Pfeiffer upstages her at every turn. A talented actress in her own right, it would be all too easy for Pfeiffer to slip into Lange's powerful shadow. But given the meatier role, she is devastatingly good, melding in equal turns between rage and weariness. She also lends a bitterness to Rose that is rarely ever seen in Pfeiffer's range, given that many of her roles are of a romantic nature.

The supporting roles are equally gripping. Jason Robards is utterly convincing as the mean patriarch who becomes increasingly unhinged as his fury and frustration takes over. Very rarely expressing a gentler side to his character, we do occassionly see enough vulnerability to show his versatility as an actor. Pat Hingle, Keith Carradine, Kevin Anderson and Colin Firth are ALL ample in their roles, if a little undermined by the leading ladies. The one let down is the completely one dimensional Jennifer Jason Leigh, who never ever expresses anything other than that slightly irked-looking annoyance. She carries herself like a petulant child, and that her character is a prize bitch and never made to face the consequences of her actions make her even less likeable.

There are times when the film loses gear, and you will it to go a little faster. But thats often the case with character driven material like this. The obvious likeness to the story of King Lear is present, adding an extra dimension to Laura Jones' screenplay. The script for the most part is brutally honest, and packs a punch with its reveal, but in lesser hands, it could have been a very different story. Also notable for a very early appearance of Dawson Creek's Michelle Williams.

The DVD has absolutely no extra's. Which is shameful, given that it was only re-released in 2006. The 1997 had an excuse, as DVD's hadn't really reached their full potential at that time. But a release on the current schedule having not even a decent trailer is pretty unforgivable.  

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