God’s Own Country

THE GIST: Johnny never cared much for his family's farm, but his father's sudden stroke forced him to take charge of it. This, along with his father's constant supervision, has made him very resentful, leading him to drown his sorrows in beer, followed by casual and meaningless gay hookups. When his father hires Gheorghe, a Romanian migrant and expert farmer, for the lambing season, Johnny treats him with disdain, directing his frustrations and anger at him. Eventually, however, Johnny comes to respect his knowledge and passion, and a friendship develops. Will it lead to more?

God’s Own Country certainly calls to mind the marvelous Brokeback Mountain, mostly because of the similarity in their settings, but I would argue that this movie easily stands on its own, thanks to a well-written screenplay and some great acting work from Josh O'Connor and Alec Secareanu.

It was also nominated for an Outstanding British Film of the Year BAFTA Award.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A good script, a touching story, great acting work. Definitely recommended.

Grade: 8.5