God's Own Country
God's Own Country

Movie spotlight

God's Own Country

2017
Movie
104 min
English

A young farmer in rural Yorkshire numbs his daily frustrations with binge drinking and casual sex, until the arrival of a Romanian migrant worker.

Insights

IMDb7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes90%
Metacritic85/100
Google Users89%
Director: Francis LeeGenres: Drama, Romance

Plot Summary

In the bleak Yorkshire moors, young farmer Johnny Saxby shoulders the immense burden of his family's failing farm and his father's declining health. His life is a cycle of grueling work and stifled loneliness, until a Romanian migrant worker, Gheorghe, arrives to help with the lambing season. A tentative connection blossoms between them, offering Johnny a glimpse of a life beyond the confines of his isolated existence and challenging his deeply ingrained emotional barriers.

Critical Reception

God's Own Country was met with widespread critical acclaim, with particular praise for its raw emotional honesty, stunning cinematography, and powerful performances from its lead actors. Critics lauded it as a poignant and authentic portrayal of rural life and same-sex love, often comparing its grounded realism to films like "Brokeback Mountain" but highlighting its distinct British grit.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its authentic depiction of rural life and challenging emotional landscape.

  • Celebrated for the nuanced and compelling performances of its lead actors.

  • Commended for its sensitive and realistic portrayal of a developing homosexual relationship.

Google audience: Audiences were deeply moved by the film's emotional depth and authentic portrayal of its characters and setting. Many appreciated the raw, unflinching look at farming life and the tender, evolving relationship at its core.

Awards & Accolades

Won the Directing Award for Francis Lee at the Sundance Film Festival. Nominated for multiple British Independent Film Awards, winning for Best Actor (Josh O'Connor) and Best Supporting Actor (Alec Secăreanu).

Fun Fact

Director Francis Lee drew inspiration from his own upbringing in the Yorkshire countryside and his personal experiences to craft the authentic and intimate narrative of the film.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Josh O'Connor ("Johnny") is excellent as the frustrated rural English farmer cruising through life on the bottle, peppered with the occasional romp with the only other gay in the village (Harry Lister Smith). His father (Ian Hart) has long ...

LuckyLinden

LuckyLinden

The "British Brokeback Mountain" label that follows this film around is really unfair as it sells what is a magical move in its own right (and a stunning feature film directorial debut) really short. The film is paced so well (I'm a fan ...