SYNOPSICS
Earthwork (2009) is a English movie. Chris Ordal has directed this movie. John Hawkes,Bruce MacVittie,Chris Bachand,Scott Allegrucci are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2009. Earthwork (2009) is considered one of the best Drama movie in India and around the world.
In 1994, real-life crop artist Stan Herd traveled from Kansas to Manhattan's Upper West Side to create a massive environmental artwork on land owned by Donald Trump. The multi-acre artwork was made from soil, rock, plants and vegetation near an underground railway tunnel. Stan recruited a number of homeless individuals living in the tunnel to become his crew. Over the months it took to complete the earthwork, Stan dealt with a myriad of difficulties in bringing his unique, rural art form to an urban canvas and the many costs his art exacted upon his life. In the process, he unexpectedly encountered the true meaning of his art and it's ultimate, lasting rewards.
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Earthwork (2009) Reviews
A stunning film that should be seen by the masses!
From the films open with Stan as a young man first finding his passion in an instant as rain drops fall, to the title credits so nicely woven in to the fabric of the stunning cinematography all the way to final credit roll, you cannot take your eyes off the screen. Every aspect of this just works. You must see the beauty of this film for yourself. I could never have expected a film of this subject matter to keep me glued to my chair while concerned if Stans plan will pan out. The hurdles he faces, the mounting debt, the needs of his new surrogate family in the city, his wife and child and his passion for the earthwork draw you in. Everything flowed. I forgot there were editors, camera people, grips, actors, and all of the other folks who make movies come to life. This was seamless and stunning to watch. Without car crashes or special effects, this film captured my heart and attention. It brought tears to my eyes and laughter to my world. I will never look at a plot of land the same again. The entire team should be proud! (This is an excerpt of a longer review that I wrote)
Must See Indie
Stan Herd is a Kansas farmer out to show the art world that he can make it in New York. He faces countless obstacles on his journey. He also finds support and friendship among the homeless men who help him. He in turn gives them hope and purpose. The film explores the mind and determination of an artist. I ran home after this viewing and looked up all of the actors as they made quite an impression on me. Some I recognized and some were completely new. I must admit that I didn't recognize John Hawkes at all from his role in "Winter's Bone". It's a nice contrast and I look forward to seeing him in more movies. Jeff Daniels was amazing and although her role was small, Laura Kirk's portrayal of Janis Herd was memorable. This small independent film is a must see.
Must See Movie
Like anyone on IMDb, I'm a movie lover. I see a lot of movies, so it takes a very good film for me to take the time to write a glowing review on IMDb. I was fortunate enough to see it at the Austin Film Festival and I loved it. It opened my eyes to an artist and story that I had never heard of. Earthwork is a beautifully crafted indie that I hope breaks out when it is released in late April. It's one those movies that sort of sneaks up on you and days or weeks later you think about certain shots of Stan Herd's crop art, the opening title sequence and the heartbreaking story and you think...damn...that was a good movie. Big ups to the director Chris Ordal and the whole crew for representing Kansas in a big way! Ordal definitely has a bright future in the film industry. He doesn't beat you over the head with flashy shots and camera moves like most debut directors...he tells the story like it should be told and he lets the actors act. Kudos
earthwork
I was struck by the film story. The fragile nature of the actual earthwork process, the complete commitment to realizing the installation against all odds: a fraying marriage, rupturing finances, a lack of real community support both back in Kansas and then on the Upper West Side of Manhatten. It is David and Goliath, with David's currency dissipating like so much sand leaking from a bag into the wind. All this against the harsh glare of New York City, huge corporate interests, the fickleness of the national media - all carried on a story line about a vulnerable family dynamic, a profound message of hope and a poignancy about a vulnerable planet, the challenge of conveying a message of sustainability and an example of respecting the earth and all that it is asked to do for us. I was very moved by the film and feel it's message is very strong and hopeful and needs to be heard by a very broad audience.
John Hawkes Delivers in this Sweet Film
The film opens with a young Stan Herd living on a farm finding ways to use his imagination creating art on the land. He uses pretty much whatever he can find. For all the joy he finds creating his art in the dirt, he finds the real place to see it is from the air. While living on a farm near Lawrence, Kansas, he has the luck to have his work photographed by a New York photographer who suggests he find a way to do a project, an earthwork, in NYC. Stan Herd has enormous gumption and heart. He makes the trip to New York and convinces Donald Trump to let him do an earthwork on land Trump plans to later develop. All of the actors deliver performances that are in the category of what I would call sublime. There's an unusual cast of characters who arrive one by one in the New York portion of the film. Stan Herd's Kansas family is supportive, kind and caring. These are people deserving of a quiet portrayal, with real emotion that comes through without having to rise to a passion that is bombastic. They make their points softly. John Hawkes becomes a very focused Stan Herd in this film. He shows us a strong minded, talented, trusting and sweet natured man. The audience gets pulled into his world, which is actually quite beautiful and full of sunshine.