For Pride Month, I could think of no better film to analyze than God’s Own Country. Although there is a plethora of films to talk about this period, I chose this particular one for two reasons: how real and heartwarming it can be. Love is always a complicated matter. Sometimes you can find it in the most unexpected places.

Movie Information:

Genre:
Romance / Drama

Cast:
Josh O’Connor
Alec Secăreanu
Gemma Jones
Ian Hart

Distributed By:
Picturehouse Entertainment

Duration:
1 hour and 45 minutes

Movie Rating:
7.5/10

Movie Plot:

Set in Yorkshire, England, a family of sheep farmers struggle to preserve their estate and look after their livestock. Young Johnny finds his life mundane and tries to handle the farm after his father’s stroke. All the while, his grandmother takes care of the entire family. Deciding that they need help, the family employs a young Romanian migrant worker, Gheorghe, who has experience handling sheep. Johnny, who frequently has special encounters with other men, is surprised that he is slowly falling in love with Gheorghe. However, years of pressure by his father who wants him to maintain the family farm has made Johnny bitter and he finds himself in a unique situation: being utterly in love and imagining a better future.

Directing and Writing:

What makes this movie stand out from start to finish are three things: its cinematography, the long silences, and the body language of the characters. The use of Yorkshire’s natural landscape is brilliant. From the grey skies, to the windblown hills, the camera embraces the natural beauty of this secluded place. Additionally, the use of long silences is equally charming. Instead of relying solely in dialogue, the movie focuses more on the everyday actions of its characters, what they do with their life, and how they react to the people around them. Even though there is little music, we constantly hear the engine of vehicles, wood burning, sheep bleating and the characters’ breaths.

What captivated my attention is how Francis Lee managed to capture in each scene the body language of his characters. For instance, when Gheorghe becomes affectionate towards Johnny by caressing his cheek, Johnny is initially more forceful. However, once he accepts the romantic gesture, he also becomes more gentle and less authoritative in his relationship.

Characters:

Credit is due to Josh O’Connor and Alec Secăreanu for their acting. God’s Own Country is just one of those rare film that accurately portrays the inner struggle of accepting love. Johnny feels suffocated by his daily life and the high expectations that both his father and grandmother have about him maintaining the farm. Because of this, whenever he is seen having encounters with other men, he wants to have all the control that he feels he lacks in his life.

So, when Gheorghe comes, something unprecedented happens. He isn’t alone. He has someone else to keep him company, someone who doesn’t point out his responsibilities, but who shares them with him. Although at the beginning they both seem to dislike each other, when they camp near the animals for a few days they grow a bond of love and mutual respect. After this Johnny seems more attentive, not only to the farm, but towards his family and to himself. This is a teachable experience not only for him, but to all who can attest to the transformative power of love.

What strikes a cord in this movie is how Johnny never expected to find love in the monotonous place that he has lived for so many years. But there is more to this story than just love. We see a change in Johnny. He started off as a melancholic and indifferent character. His life included the daily routine of the farm and going out to the pub for drinks. But once Gheorghe came, he became more warm, surer of himself and more considerate. That’s how this story is. It doesn’t focus on romance alone. It focuses on change.

Furthermore, change in this movie isn’t only seen through the characters’ psyche. It can also be quite literal. Gheorghe moved to a different country. He is a migrant worker, and as such he faces difficulties not only in language, but also culture. In one scene he is bothered by a man at the pub, due to him being a foreigner. In the beginning Johnny called him a gypsy, a term that Gheorghe took offense to. Being in a different country comes with many struggles. However, he ended up having someone he loved by his side. And sometimes that can make things bearable.

Overall, God’s Own Country is a beautiful piece of art. Granted, it may seem monotonous for the average viewer. But there are more to these stories than just tragic romances. This movie in particular shows the reality of living in a secluded area. How difficult it is to escape from it. And how sometimes, love can change even the dullest places into heaven on earth.

Written by Demetris Bougiouris