FREELAND – A Review by John Strange
In the early days of pot growing in California, it was much like the moonshiners in Appalachia. Black-market growers found quiet valleys back in the woods with ample water and sunshine to help their crops flourish. Devi (Krisha Fairchild) got her start in this underground business over 30 years ago. Over the years she has prospered and developed some excellent strains of the plants.
But California has legalized the growing of pot and this has put illegal growers like her in a tough place. To get on the correct side of the law is an expensive process that does not guarantee success. Especially when, like Devi, the county is already coming down upon you.
This film follows Devi’s attempts to do business and to make sure she will be able to grow a crop next year. We meet her three assistants/helpers, Mara (Lily Gladstone); Josh (Frank Mosley); and Casey (Cameron Matthews), who were assisting Devi harvest the crop. We also meet Ray (John Craven), an old friend from her days on the commune that brought her to the area.
Watching Devi slowly losing her battle with “the man” is sad. She is hitting roadblocks at every turn. She is a strong woman, used to doing the serious marketing and sales on her own. Her story is likely happening all over the country as marijuana cultivation is legalized in each state.
The legal, and the newly legal, must document their sources, insuring they are purchased solely from legal growers. This cuts her off from most avenues of sales, without a safety line. What will she do now?
I found some an interesting fact as I checked out the film’s Facebook page. The directors of this film were able to shoot their story at off-the-grid pot farms in Humboldt County, the “mythical birthplace of weed”, during the actual harvest.
I get requests to review films from all manner of sources. In this time of Covid-19, the opportunities to review films have only recently begun to return, and they are returning with a vengeance. One of those sources for films is film festivals that are offering their film selections virtually and need to get the word out. This review is one that was requested by the Oxford Film Festival in Mississippi, where this film is scheduled as the festival’s Closing Night Film. See more information on viewing the film yourself at https://www.oxfordfilmfest.com/.
Directors: Mario Furloni, Kate McLean
Cast: Lily Gladstone, Frank Mosley, Krisha Fairchild, George Psarras, John Craven, Michelle Maxson, Cameron James Matthews, Robert Parsons, Ryan Tasker
MPAA Rating: NR
Selig Rating: 5 Stars
Runtime: 119 Min.
Movie Site: facebook.com/freelandfeaturefilm
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
4 Stars – Good movie
3 Stars – OK movie
2 Stars – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
1 Star – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.
