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Promised Land Play Trailer

Promised Land (2012)

tomatometer

51

Average Rating: 5.9/10
Reviews Counted: 141
Fresh: 72 | Rotten: 69

The earnest and well-intentioned Promised Land sports a likable cast, but it also suffers from oversimplified characterizations and a frustrating final act.

50

Average Rating: 6.3/10
Critic Reviews: 34
Fresh: 17 | Rotten: 17

The earnest and well-intentioned Promised Land sports a likable cast, but it also suffers from oversimplified characterizations and a frustrating final act.

audience

43

liked it
Average Rating: 3.1/5
User Ratings: 10,465

My Rating

Movie Info

Promised Land is the new contemporary drama directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Milk). Matt Damon plays Steve Butler, an ace corporate salesman who is sent along with his partner, Sue Thomason (Frances McDormand), to close a key rural town in his company's expansion plans. With the town having been hit hard by the economic decline of recent years, the two outsiders see the local citizens as likely to accept their company's offer, for drilling rights to their properties, as much-needed

R,

Drama

Matt Damon, John Krasinski, Dave Eggers

Apr 23, 2013

$7.5M

Focus Features - Official Site External Icon

Cast

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All Critics (141) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (72) | Rotten (70) | DVD (1)

This is a solid if at times too conventional tale of a classic moral conflict.

January 4, 2013 Full Review Source: Richard Roeper.com
Richard Roeper.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

[It's mostly] a well-wrought drama that feels genuine as it goes about spinning a tale worthy of our challenging times.

January 4, 2013 Full Review Source: Denver Post
Denver Post
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Promised Land is more effective as an anti-fracking screed than as a drama.

January 4, 2013 Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor
Christian Science Monitor
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Damon and McDormand are terrific as co-workers seeking the same goal, though they see their work from different points of view.

January 4, 2013 Full Review Source: Miami Herald
Miami Herald
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This isn't a movie about easy fixes, be they personal or political; it's a film about long-term problems.

January 4, 2013 Full Review Source: Detroit News
Detroit News
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Far too awkward and contrived a drama to change many hearts and minds.

January 4, 2013 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail
Globe and Mail
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Gus Van Sant's Promised Land is an engaging performance-driven drama that works more often than not.

May 7, 2013 Full Review Source: We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered

... Van Sant's eye and sense of poetry no doubt elevate what's essentially an updated Frank Capra story ...

April 27, 2013 Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

'You can't make natural gas from shale without fracking' doesn't quite have the same ring to it as 'You can't start a fire without a spark'.

April 25, 2013 Full Review Source: Birmingham Mail
Birmingham Mail

The earnestness of the performances had me digging the story all the way up to the idiotic twist that tries hard to ruin everything that came before.

April 23, 2013 Full Review Source: COEDMagazine.com
COEDMagazine.com

The pro-environment message here is more effective because of the film's subtlety, a casting twist featuring the likeable Matt Damon, and a script that doesn't insult its audience.

April 23, 2013 Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah)
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

There are some good scenes early on, and the conflict at the centre is real. But it's sentimental, Capraesque fare ...

April 21, 2013 Full Review Source: Observer [UK]
Observer [UK]

underwhelming at best

April 19, 2013 Full Review Source: Film Racket
Film Racket

Thee film-makers' sincerity so indisputable, that Promised Land never entirely spins off the rails. It's hard to swallow, but easy to digest.

April 19, 2013 Full Review Source: Irish Times
Irish Times

Hydraulic fracturing might not be the most compelling subject for a movie, but it provides a topical backdrop for this engaging drama about ethics.

April 19, 2013 Full Review Source: Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.com

A gentle rather than dramatic film that, once the central argument is laid out, lacks real flair.

April 19, 2013 Full Review Source: This is London
This is London

A flawed but watchable eco-drama - heavily indebted to a wittier anti-corporate movie, Local Hero, made 30 years ago.

April 18, 2013 Full Review Source: Daily Mail [UK]
Daily Mail [UK]

Van Sant is no Frank Capra, so why is he trying so hard to be?

April 18, 2013 Full Review Source: Little White Lies
Little White Lies

Not confident or bolshy enough about the subject, too aware of eco versus economic pros and cons ...

April 18, 2013 Full Review Source: Financial Times
Financial Times

The latest film from Gus Van Sant is a thought-provoking and emotionally engaging smalltown drama with a strong script and a terrific central performance from co-writer Matt Damon.

April 18, 2013 Full Review Source: ViewLondon
ViewLondon

A compelling glimpse into a world of corporate chicanery where unscrupulous business giants casually toss decent chaps like Butler into the fray to take the, er, frack.

April 17, 2013 Full Review Source: Sky Movies
Sky Movies

The film means well, it just doesn't stir the soul.

April 17, 2013 Full Review Source: Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post

Northern Exposure with Jason Bourne. Which is a backhanded way of saying this is far from the challenging movie it promised to be.

April 15, 2013 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine
Empire Magazine

Feels more Hollywoodland than 'Promised Land'.

April 15, 2013 Full Review Source: Digital Spy
Digital Spy

Quietly powerful, this has a fine cast and yet it's very much Damon's movie, as he delivers his finest, most subtly nuanced performance yet and, remarkably, actually allows himself to look, ahem, older.

April 14, 2013 Full Review Source: Rip It Up

As a slice of rural Americana, Promised Land works. Then it turns into sticky apple pie, leaving only the feeling that you've been had.

April 12, 2013 Full Review Source: Total Film
Total Film

Audience Reviews for Promised Land

What's your price?

Great Film! Here's a good little movie. Interesting story, extremely well written, directed and acted. Helicopter shots add to the beautiful location cinematography. Great use of music, some original. This movie is not about the environmental devastation caused by fracking. It's about the predatory practices used by industry to gain access to our backyards and how communities loose their way in gasland and are torn apart. Go see it, very good!!!

Corporate salesman Steve Butler (Damon) arrives in a rural town with his sales partner, Sue Thomason (McDormand). With the town having been hit hard by the economic decline of recent years, the two outsiders see the local citizens as likely to accept their company's offer, for drilling rights to their properties, as much-needed relief. What seems like an easy job for the duo becomes complicated by the objection of a respected schoolteacher (Holbrook) with support from a grassroots campaign led by another man (Krasinski) who counters Steve both personally and professionally.
October 1, 2012
xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
Manu Gino

Super Reviewer

excellent tackling of an interesting topic in a narrative format. i was already interested in the issues surrounding fracking leading into this film. ive read on it and seen documentaries. i was a tad disappointed that the film took a stance as by all accounts this issue is not at all cut and dry, but agendas are a part of film making and overall the agenda didnt remove my enjoyment of the film. good film making and story telling, and solid performances from the excellent cast.
October 1, 2012
sanjurosamurai
danny d

Super Reviewer

    1. Alice: Let's see... 40, married, marketing, two kids.
    2. Steve Butler: 38, stripper/waitress, born to be a singer.
    3. Alice: F**k you! I'm a teacher!
    4. Steve Butler: No, I was talking about me.
    – Submitted by Moe J (4 months ago)
    1. Steve Butler: We are a nine billion dollar company... do you know what we're capable of?
    2. Dustin Noble: Do you?
    – Submitted by Chris P (4 months ago)
    1. Steve Butler: This town, this life... it's dying.
    – Submitted by Chris P (4 months ago)

Discussion Forum

Topic Last Post Replies
Propaganda increasingly defines Damon rather than acting and great entertainment 9 days ago 2
Left-wing Liberal propaganda 9 days ago 41
Promised Land is a good movie - don't be deterred. 17 days ago 4
makes me wonder 3 months ago 0
Looks Pointless 3 months ago 3

Latest News on Promised Land

January 3, 2013:
Video Interview with Cast of Promised Land: Rosemarie DeWitt
Promised Land is all about normal folks making tough decisions that might change their lives...

January 3, 2013:
Video Interview with Cast of Promised Land: Matt Damon
Matt Damon confesses his love for Rotten Tomatoes (and he meant our website, not the decaying...

January 3, 2013:
Video Interview with Cast of Promised Land: John Krasinski
The new movie Promised Land discusses fracking, personal values, democracy, and familial duties. To...

Foreign Titles

  • Promised Land (DE)
  • Promised Land (UK)
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