LITTLE WOODS
US, 2018, 104 minutes, Colour.
Tessa Thompson, Lily James, Lance Reddick, Luke Kirby, James Badge Dale.
Directed by Nia Da Costa.
An unusual story set on the American- Canadian border, in North Dakota.
This is the story of two sisters who have troubled lives. They have been adopted and come from different ethnic backgrounds. Tessa Thompson plays Ollie, involved in cross-border activity, transporting medication across the borders, helping out people in trouble. Lily James plays Deb, pregnant, impractical, depending on her sister for some kind of help.
While Deb loses everything she possesses, Ollie goes back into her smuggling activities to get money to help her sister, willing to undergo difficult travels and harsh encounters.
Tessa Thompson and Lily James give strong performances, eliciting sympathy from the audience, appreciating the struggles and financial difficulties.
1. The title? The two sisters? The town and its surroundings, the American-Canadian? border, the woods? Burying pills and medication in the woods, recovering them?
2. The contemporary American setting, North Dakota, the Canadian border, the opening and closing of the film, the white post, the woods? The town and industry? Makeshift homes and dormitories? Apartments? Offices, canteens? Atmosphere of realism? The musical score?
3. The focus on the two sisters, their bonds, both being adopted, different ethnic backgrounds? Their interdependence, Ollie and her initiatives, exasperation, wanting to move on? Deb, intelligent, but impractical, relationships, son, pregnant?
4. Ollie’s story, the burying of the medications? Her experience, cross-border activities, illegal, Canadian medication benefits, for poorer Americans? The way of life, her friends? Carter and his advice and care for her? Interactions with the men, with Deb’s partner? The pressures on her, financial, the contacts for moving the medication? The contacts over the border? Dangers? Her changing her plans, wanting to help Deb? The abortion? The plan for the false documents? Hiding the car in the woods, going into Canada, waiting for Deb? Doing the deals, the contacts in Canada, going to the abortion clinic, the friend minding Deb’s son? Coming back home – to what future?
5. Deb, adopted, her relationships, and abusive partner, love for him, attacking him? Her devotion to her son? Wanting to go to college? It difficulties with money, the trailer, the warning is that it will be towed, coming back in its disappearance, the fact that all the money was in the trailer, Ollie tracking down, investigating, medication and money gone? Deb and her inability to make ends meet, pregnant, consulting the medical help, $8000 to give birth, the decision about the abortion, discussions with Ollie? Going with her, getting the false documents, her being exploited? Going to the clinic, the false documents, being accepted? The impact of the experience? The return, with her son – her future in college or not?
6. Carter, the sympathetic advisor, trying to help Ollie?
7. The man in the town, Deb’s partner, drugs, the contact for the medication, the plans?
8. A different perspective on ordinary Americans living in the back blocks, trying to survive, trying to manage, illegal means, the effect on their lives and prospects?
