North Country Movie Critique
Josey Aimes was an iron mine worker in the 1980s who just wanted to make a living to put food on the table for her two kids. While working at the mine, she is sexually harassed as the other male workers insult, fondle, tease, and call her filthy names. This happens to the other female workers at the mine, but they all are too scared to stand up for themselves. Her male boss tells her to “take it like a man.” After quitting her job, she files a lawsuit against the company and its employers. After being deserted by the company’s owner, her boss, her father, and even the other female workers, Josey perseveres and wins the first ever class action sexual harassment case in history. Josey and the women who follow her receive protection through a sexual harassment policy.
THE CRITIQUE
Niki Caro’s film North Country does justice to the organization Families Against Mandatory Minimums and its founder, Julie Stewart. Julie Stewart, who has fought mandatory minimum laws for over 18 years, and Josey Aimes have a lot in common. There were many similarities between Josey’s cause and Julie’s cause; for example, both women fought injustices that seemed very daunting and they felt so strongly about their cause that they decided to stand up for what they believe in. Josey’s injustice was sexual harassment in the mine, while Julie’s injustice was a mandatory minimum jail sentence that the law forced onto her brother. Julie was angry because it was her brother’s first offense and it was non-violent. Just as Josey stood up for what she believed in and filed a lawsuit, Julie Stewart founded a non-profit organization called Families Against Mandatory Minimums. North Country did justice to Julie because it showed Julie and Josey’s struggle as they fought injustice. Throughout the years, Julie Stewart has testified in court just as Josey did. They have both struggled to gain followers while spreading their causes, and both have had to endure people telling them they were wrong. Julie has been through almost two decades of representatives and lawyers telling her that mandatory minimum laws were just. Just as Josey could not stand being helplessly abused in the mines, Julie could not stand a “one-size-fits all” law. Both Julie and Josey turned their helpless causes into successes through perseverance. Josey won her court case, and Julie has changed mandatory minimum laws in the states of Michigan and New York. During the movie, I could see Julie in the character of Josey in many instances. North Country did justice to Julie Stewart as it showed Julie’s struggles through the character Josey.
There were many powerful aspects/scenes/characters in the movie. One aspect of the movie that was powerful was when all the guys in the mine were harassing the girls. This was very believable because it showed how the girls had virtually no ability to defend themselves. Another aspect of the movie that was powerful was the emotional stress shown by Josey Aimes. Theron did a good job at showing the stress brought onto her by the mine and by her family. An aspect that was also shocking was when Josey’s parents showed no support in her battle against the mine/miners. It was very moving to see her father’s complete lack of care for her. One scene that stood out was when one worker took Josey down to a deserted room and jumped on her and choked her. Another scene that stood out was when the guys in the mine tipped over the port-o-potty onto one of the girl workers. The court scene in which Josey’s old boyfriend confesses that she was indeed raped was also very powerful. It was thrilling when all the women and men stood up to back Josey to make it a class-action lawsuit. Josey Aimes and Glory were two important and powerful characters. Glory, about to die and unable to speak, made a stand to support Josey by writing a note, thereby influencing others to do the same. Theron instilled vigor and strength into Josey by playing her part so well.
The movie could have been better at being a justice film dealing with mandatory minimum sentencing if it had focused on the sentencing and not on the class-action lawsuit. In the film’s current progression, the majority of the conflict revolves around overcoming the women’s fear of the men in the mine so that a class-action lawsuit can be brought against the mining company. In the movie, the class-action law suit needed at least three plaintiffs. As the film currently progresses, the climax is when the women of the mine join together to make this lawsuit; only a few lines of text at the film’s end reveal that the women won their lawsuit, and there is no mention of the punishment for the company.
That being said, there is an underlying theme of the cruelty of the criminal justice system and how it must be reformed. This theme, while not exactly the issue that Families Against Mandatory Minimums protests, is one that fits with the organization’s overall message. A few of the characters warn Josey Aimes that the legal system is far worse than the mines. When she initially asks the man who becomes her lawyer to take the case, he warns that anything the male miners do or say to her is nothing compared to the havoc that lawyers can wreck on one’s life. True to these warnings, the court hearings to determine whether there will be a class-action lawsuit are vicious, forcing Josey to relive horrible memories while defending her honor. This hearing is the moment in which the film truly shows its teaching about the criminal justice system. Presumably, in an effort to discredit Josey, the attorney for the mining company digs into Josey’s childhood and alleges that she has a history of rampant sexual promiscuity. A lot of attention is paid to her high school teacher, who impregnated Josey. After revealing that she was raped, Josey’s ex-boyfriend, who witnessed the rape, testifies and says that she was not raped. He claimed to know this because, as he put it, “When somebody’s enjoying it as much as she was, you know it’s not rape.” The lawyer representing the mine bluntly informs Josey that she will not accept this, saying, “You were not raped. You had consensual sex with your teacher.” This scene promotes what FAMM advocates: that through the court system innocent people can have their life ruined. Although it is eventually proven that Josey was raped, the damage this system did to her is noticeable. In this scene, the film shows its poignant message about the cruelty of the criminal justice system.
HOW MANY “STARS” (out of 4)? 3