God’s Country (2022)
Directed by Julian Higgins
Written by Julian Higgins, Shaye Ogbonna
Starring Thandiwe Newton
Release Date September 16th, 2022
God’s Country stars Thandiwe Newton as Sandra, a College Professor living in the western mountain country. New to the area, Sandra has just lost her mother as we join the movie and in a moving, silent 10 minute opening sequence, we watch Sandra collect and spread her mother’s ashes before attempting to get on with her life. Looming around the edges of these opening minutes are an ominous red pick up truck.
Returning to work, Sandra brushes off the brief condolences of colleagues and sets about her work. Loneliness looms over Sandra as we return to her home on the first day following her mother’s cremation. The bed her mother likely spent the last months of her life in lays empty in the living room, a dark and ironic monument. The darkness of this mountain home is oppressive, lit mostly by the light of a fireplace. Only the comfort of a lovely dog brings any real warmth to the home.
Find my full length review at Geeks.Media, linked here.
