Title: The not so "Good Old Days"
Review: The most striking features of this little dark gem of a film that make it emminently watchable are the beautifully composed black and white shots, often rendered through unusual angles, and the simply elegant soundtrack composed of classical tracks mixed in with modern classical/folk. I found myself being pulled back in time as the film unravelled its stories and slowly steamrolled me over by the sheer volume of misery experienced by the northern immigrant communities. It makes one wonder how much of the small town, everyday life variety of American history is glossed over and forgotten about. Sadly, I think you could have made this film about any number of areas of the US and the human experience between 1850 and 1950 and you would find similar tales of suffering, strife and moral collapse. This should be required watching for those who still believe that there ever was a such thing as the American dream.
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