Sundance: Thandiwe Newton finally gets a film worthy of her with 'God's Country'

by Matt St Clair

Thandiwe Newton has been a riveting screen presence throughout her career whether or not the films haven’t matched her level of excellence. With just a sharp glance or an emotive line reading, she always finds ways to grab your attention . The new Sundance thriller God’s Country, helmed and co-written by Julian Higgins, is finally a star vehicle worthy of her beguiling gifts...

Newton stars as Sandra Guidry, a college professor grieving over the loss of her mother. While Sandra is dealing with troubles at her office, an incident becomes something much more dreadful. At her isolated home tensions between her and two strange hunters, Samuel (Jefferson White) and Nathan Cody (Joris Jarsky), escalate after a simple request that they park their truck outside of her property. 

Soon aftewards Sandra finds an arrow shot at her door. If you’re in fear of just much more dangerous things will get from there -- Spoiler alert: Quite worse!. It doesn’t help that the town’s acting sheriff (Jeremy Bobb) who she turns to for help bluntly tells her that in the remote, lawless land where she resides, she’ll have to handle matters on her own. Her main option is to personally resolve matters with the Codys even if they keep making things uneasy for her. 

Sandra doesn’t ask for pity as she’s forced to fend for herself. She’s a woman who’s simply worn out. She’s worn out by the microaggressions she experiences at work, the pain of losing her mother, and the struggle to live alone in peace with her dog. There’s only so much that a person like her can take and Sandra will happily intimidate someone she views as a threat if it means fighting for her tranquil existence.

Instead of overplaying Sandra’s wrath and grief, Newton quietly lets her face telegraph those pained feelings; her blistering rage boils beneath the surface. Newton’s performance is also in-sync with the understated tone of the direction. Through the intricacies in Higgins’ work behind the camera and the script (co-written by Shaye Ogbanna), the picture serves as a commentary on racial and class divide in a less overt manner. The Codys never voice that their intent to terrorize Sandra is because of her skin color or due to wealth. But there's a marked difference between Sandra’s extravagant house and steady jobs that feel worlds away from the smaller, banal house and their work in customer service. 

Besides the writing and Newton’s performance, credit should also go to cinematographer Andrew Wheeler. The wide shots he captures of the snowy landscape where Sandra resides show their awe-inspiring beauty while emphasizing her uneasy remoteness. The ominous score by DeAndre James Allen-Toole similarly matches the picture’s chilly tone. 

 A slow-burn thriller about isolation and fighting back against a cold, unforgiving world, God’s Country grips you the minute it starts and never lets go until the credits roll. Truly a remarkable directorial effort from Julian Higgins and its star, Thandiwe Newton, who delivers the best performance yet in her film career. What a feat! A

God’s Country is currently seeking U.S. distribution.