Lost on Purpose

2013
5.7| 1h44m| en
Details

Our story takes place in the fertile, San Joaquin Valley. Fueled by gin and sheer determination, Elizabeth James (Ms. Liz) operates her third generation dairy farm outside the region's domineering co-ops. To help keep the place afloat, she's employed five renegade ranch hands. These boys have put a pin in responsibility and opted to stretch out the party as long as possible. Unfortunately, women, booze, and fisticuffs can only lead to one outcome: trouble. With the dairy farm reporting its third straight deficit year, Ms Liz is attracting some unwanted attention. Delbert Furgeson, the owner of the area's largest co-op, is pushing to buy her out. This only incenses the prideful Ms Liz and starts a volatile feud between the two. Sharing the narrative are the ranch hands.

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Reviews

Monkeywess This is an astonishing documentary that will wring your heart while it bends your mind
Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.
Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.
Skye Mitchell In a small town in Central California, we meet five young ranch hands living and working on a dairy farm owned and run by the very capable Ms. Liz. I instantly felt as though I lived there with them on the farm - so vivid are their faces, emotions and dialogue. I became totally immersed in the struggles of these very real human beings. I laughed and I cried, I cheered and I ached.The direction, acting and cinematography are superb. They meld together into something very warm and familiar - with the use of local settings, and that air of closeness so characteristic of rural communities. Everybody knows everybody and then some - which is not always a good thing! The cast is outstanding; the chemistry perfect. It's a wonderful mixture of the happily recognisable and the newly unforgettable.The music score is wonderful. Each piece and song has been selected and performed so well, that they highlight and complement without encroaching. It is a memorable soundtrack that will have you seeking out the artists afterwards.I'm Australian, living half a world away from where this film is set and the story nurtured - but this is my town too. These are my people. These are my struggles. And these are my triumphs. There is a good chance that they are yours too. I cannot recommend this film highly enough. You will be richer for seeing it, and it is one that will stay with you for a very long time.
William Corden... read 'em and weep I like movies where you feel like you're walking along with the cast.Just as the English can do fabulous period movies, the Americans can do equally as well when they pick out small town USA and tell us about the characters and the culture. When they do this AND somehow add fantastic music to the mix then no one does it better. This movie has everything; well structured plot, superb acting and a building of empathy for every role. Even the most minor appearances manage to squeeze out every ounce of emotion, the sheriff in particular is a great performance. Aaron Hill has a young "Jon Voight" quality about him which has me believing that he will be a major star before too long.The bar scenes are again something that only Americans can do and they take you right in as a customer in this movie. Heck I almost ordered a beer! Poignant, loving, neighbourly; all the qualities you see in rural towns are gracefully exploited in this movie, subtly set against the usual pressures of change and race tensions. This is a first class product and I highly recommend that you go see it.
Strwbryp I loved everything about this movie. Coming from a small town myself, you feel nostalgic about the best parts of your growing up years while watching it. Even though this movie was about a California town, it really was about Anywhere, U.S.A. This is one of those movies that you need to watch a few times so you can really appreciate it to it's fullest. I've seen it twice now and I found more great things about it that I missed the first time I watched it. I can't wait to watch it again and again. I fall in love with new characters each time. Just when I thought I loved one more I found a new one to love. Excellent movie Nelms Brothers.
crashcinema A beautifully photographed simple yet poignant slice of life story that captures the fight for the American Dream and the dustiness of the new American West. It's a story about survival, loss and determination. Jane Kaczmarek is spot-on with her portrayal of a third generation dairy farmer struggling to stay afloat. As the film progresses , through both story and cinematography, one identify with her struggle and even asking at times, "why doesn't she just sell the farm to the shady, Delbert Furgenson, played by C Thomas Howell. It was great to see Mr Howell in this film. In a lot of lower budget films the presences of a named actor sometimes takes away from story. But not in this film. Mr Howell does a great job portraying the shady land grabber. The hands hired to help Ms Liz are great as men trying to find themselves.

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