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James Woods, Nick Nolte, Claire Forlani, Duel Farnes, Mark Polish ... see more see more... , Daryl Hannah , Graham Beckel , Josh Barker , Peter Coyote , Jon Gries , Robin Sachs , Ben Foster , Anthony Edwards , Marshall Bell , Kyle MacLachlan , Michele Hicks , Clark Gregg

What was once a brave frontier town has become a haven for enlightened oddballs in this unusual drama from director Michael Polish, written in collaboration with his twin brother, Mark Polish. Northfo... read more read more...rk is a small town in Montana which, in 1955, is soon to disappear in the name of progress; a massive hydroelectric dam is to be put in nearby, which will flood the entire village. A group of six men sent by the power company -- led by Walter O'Brien (James Woods) and his son Willis (Mark Polish) -- arrive in Northfork to evacuate the few remaining residents. If the men are successful, they'll each be given parcels of land on the banks of the new lake which will be where Northfork once stood. Most of the townspeople have already left, but a few remain, among them Father Harlan (Nick Nolte), a man of the cloth who is caring for Irwin (Duel Farnes), a strange, scarred boy apparently on his deathbed, and a handful of enchanted eccentrics who have taken over a local bar, including Flower Hercules (Daryl Hannah), Cup of Tea (Robin Sachs), Happy (Anthony Edwards), and Cod (Ben Foster). As Walter and Willis try to persuade the stubborn stragglers to move on, Walter must search for a new final resting place for his late wife, whose coffin is the last to be relocated after Northfork's cemetery is dug up. Northfork received its world premier at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

66% liked it

4,607 ratings

Critics

57% liked it

99 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 34 min.

Directed by: Michael Polish

Release Date: July 11, 2003

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DVD Release Date: December 30, 2003

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Flixster Reviews (294)

  • bbcfloridabound
    October 19, 2011
    bbcfloridabound
    What the Hell was I watching. Two Stars
  • arashxak
    October 13, 2008
    arashxak
    "There's nothing fowl about these wings"
  • mrbungle7821
    February 27, 2006
    mrbungle7821
    [center][font=Arial][color=darkred][img]http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8787/photo026dc.jpg[/img][/color][/font][/center]
    [font=Arial][color=darkred][/color][/font]
    [font=Arial][color=darkred]Weird. Weird. Weird. Weird. Is that a religious metaphor? Weird. Weird. Weird. Every... read moreone will be affected differently by this, like an abstract painting. Still, it might be too weird for most, but those on its highly metaphorical wavelength may get some intellectual pleasure from this Polish brother oddity.[/color][/font]

    [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate's Grade: B[/color][/font]
  • michaelneumann
    January 26, 2004
    michaelneumann
    20 of my finest legions of waffle troops were savagely consumed with little consideration given to their tasty legs. Such a disgraceful way to go. For a waffle anyway. Damn, mass wafflo-cide could've only been the work of...yep, you guessed it: the Methochaun. That little vile ba... read morestard is back, and pissier than ever. Tubbs is organizing a reconaissance mission with a few of the remaining, un-stabby bums to recover the legs for dinner tonight. Dinner's important, dadgummit!

    So uhh...after the failure of the Q&A session (stern, disapproving look), things have gone to all hell. Wait, only some of hell, not all. Like a few of the layers of hell anyway. So yeah, things are there. At least, some things have already gone there, while other things are either in the process of going there, or are just haven't bought their ticket yet. But yeah, hell's involved, and so are things. And it sucks.

    There's been a delay in the deployment of my latest squadron of secret quadrilaterals, and now the enemy have been graced with weapons of kaleidoscopic power: the colors Yellow and Violet. "Cheese" I exclaimed, thinking of the first thing that came to mind when I first learned of their Yellow power. What is it with me & cheese anyway? And always related to women, too. Sorry, Larry, but my blood-and-syrup-soaked daydreams are no place for a beautiful mime. But Yellow?! And [i]Violet[/i]?? What am I to do against such colorful weaponry? Stuffed horse bombs have been rendered impotent after being blanked by a double-coating of their multi-colored firepower. And unless my toy binoculars are deceiving me (which they promised me they wouldn't anymore), that damn Zombie Barbie seems to be flaunting Yellow & Purple facepaint too. Hmm...zombie-barbie look? Yellow & purple? Yeah, I *thought* she reminded me of an aging Paula Abdul in her Laker Girl outfit! Bada bing!

    And Whitesnake, ever the rock n' rollin' harbinger, apparently finds purpose is his constant prophesizing of Bogart's coming. I find it quite annoying, and am beginning to relish even MORE so the first opportunity I have to snake a paintball in the back of that pajama-loving infidel's gourd with "Warm Embrace's" venomous accuracy. And I won't be holding it backwards this time either (grr)! Oh yes, my friends and neighbors and friend's neighbors and neighbor's friends. My determination in doing so is sky-rocketing like a thermometer on a hot day tied to a sky-bound launching rocket.

    Oh, and Squiggy's on holiday. What in violet blazes was I thinkin'? I should've never allowed him to get out and see 4th Street at such a taxing time (even though I *do* hear it's lovely this time of year). Ugh. I hate being mired in this rut of battle. This has been goin' on for too long, dammit! I dunno, but maybe I'm getting a little disillusioned with all this war & chaos (though I suppose it could be the "Drink").


    [size=1]Also: A.M.A.I.L.A. (As Much As I Love A.C.K. [Alienated Cretins for Killing]), I've decided that journal entries aren't quite as efficient using this code as wartime communication (even though it's still perfectly brilliant, I say). Expect it sparingly now. T.I.A. (That Is All).[/size]
  • SunilJawahir
    March 18, 2009
    SunilJawahir
    Doesn't explain half of the things that are going on in the movie. Boo.
  • broadwaymo
    August 25, 2007
    broadwaymo
    Set in 1955, this is the story of the residents of the small town of Northfork, Montana and their surrounding neighbors, who are being re-located to make way for the lake which will power a new hydro-electric dam. It's also the story of a sickly, orphan boy, named Irwin and the p... read moreriest who's caring for him. Written by brothers, Michael and Mark Polish, and directed by Michael, the film is a veritable feast of visual imagery meant to be gorged upon. I got the feeling that I was viewing an Andrew Wyeth painting which had been infused with motion and a slight touch of surrealism added. James Woods, Nick Nolte, newcomer Duel Farnes and a brilliant ensemble cast, including writer Mark Polish, are all perfectly cast in their respective roles. I'm so thankful that I was in the right frame of mind for viewing this film, otherwise I might have bailed early on and missed a truly beautiful work of art. Awesome...
  • Hellshocked
    May 3, 2007
    Hellshocked
    Surreal, haunting, ingenious, uneven. This is as much a personal work of art as the Polish brothers' debut film, Twin Falls Idaho, was.

    With a fantastic cast, amazing setting and a strong visual sense, the film is almost the exact opposite of TFI. If that one was an intimate ... read morestory with some allegorical elements, this is an allegory with plenty of intimacy.

    Expect to see angels, boats on dry land, floating caskets and other surreal images throughout the film, but they are never gratuitous. It is a strange universe the Polish brothers dwell in, a dark, sad universe where loss reigns, but one that makes it 'ok' to laugh at absurdities as we meet them.

    It is absolutely a universe worth visiting.
  • FanGirl
    March 25, 2007
    FanGirl
    An ark in the middle of a desert, secert angels and the Polish brothers you know it's going to be worth your time.
  • hyphenated
    February 8, 2011
    hyphenated
    A strange, unbalanced movie that tries to do way too much, and I'm not really aboard with the historical fantasy mishmash thing. It was beautiful, though.
  • Erdren
    December 16, 2008
    Erdren
    A film of both stark and lush beauty, though the starkness remains mostly on the surface, and the lushness prevails in the depth of its character and meaning as both the town's residents, and the town itself, are drawn through matters of life and death, faith and hope, loss and r... read moreenewal, and response to final passing.

View All Northfork Reviews

Critic Reviews

Robert Denerstein
August 7, 2003
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

For me, the Polish brothers marched down a road leading nowhere.

Bill Muller
August 7, 2003
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic

A compelling juxtaposition of the poignant and the bizarre, a movie that tosses moviemaking rules into the nearest Cuisinart.

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
August 2, 2003
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For those on its peculiar wavelength, everything fits. For those who aren't, it's a painful piece of self-impressed drivel. Either way, you'll know you've been to the movies. Full Review

Joe Baltake
August 1, 2003
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

This formidable work is for no one except those who are truly tired of formulaic movies and crave something completely different. Full Review

Roger Moore
August 1, 2003
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

It's a tone poem of a movie, more visual than coherent. As such, what it's about is less important than the spell it casts.

Michael Booth
August 1, 2003
Michael Booth, Denver Post

It is impossible to describe all the rich layers of Northfork, clearly an exhausting labor of love for the Polish brothers who wrote, produced, directed and star in the mystical movie. Full Review

Eric Harrison
July 31, 2003
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle

A story so tender, so achingly sweet, you'll forgive the rest of the film its amorphousness. Full Review

Tom Long
July 25, 2003
Tom Long, Detroit News

Too self-indulgent.

Terry Lawson
July 25, 2003
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

Though the Polish brothers are saying good-bye to the heartland with the conclusion of Northfork, you may feel as if you've beat them out of town. Full Review

Gary Dowell
July 24, 2003
Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News

A powerful, surreal fable, one that requires a small amount of patience from the viewer in exchange for a moving experience. Full Review

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    • Father Harlan: We are all angels. It is what we do with our wings that separates us.
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  • In ?Northfork? what is the name of the character that Daryl Hannah plays?  Answer »
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  • Nick Nolte was in "Northfork".  Answer »
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