Promised Land

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  • Opened December 28, 2012 (Limited; Expands Wide 01/04/13)
  • 2 hr 1 min
  • R | Language
  • Parents: Common Sense Media says OK for kids 15+. More on child suitability

  • Corporate sales partners Steve Butler (Matt Damon) and Sue Thomason (Frances McDormand) arrive in a small town to secure drilling rights for a natural-gas company. They believe that the economic decline has done their work for them and that the townspeople will happily accept whatever offer they make. However, they don't consider the objections of a respected schoolteacher (Hal Holbrook) and the leader (John Krasinski) of a grassroots campaign against the company's objective. Full synopsis

  • Cast: Matt Damon, John Krasinski, Frances McDormand, Rosemarie DeWitt, Hal Holbrook
  • Director: Gus Van Sant
  • Genres: Drama

What's the Buzz?

So-so
Fans say So-So
3,569 fans
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So-so
Critics say So-So
55 out of 100
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Fan Reviews

So-so
More than an Environmentalist Manifesto

by pedsarq

It's about a small town that becomes the target of a natural gas company and is on the brink of selling itself for millions. The problem is, the small town is beautiful and it's home. Will all that...

So-so
Promised Landing To DVD

by Darkola

Matt Damon, as always, did a great job in this movie, he never seems to disappoint with his acting, no matter what role is thrown at him, and the story itself is a good story about a company coming...

Oh No!
Terrible

by fun-at-the-movies

This movie is soooo boring and preachy - obviously the movie makers had an agenda and didn't really care about much else - Damon is so BAD and the rest of the cast is sleep walking- probably Damon's...

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Critic Reviews

83
Entertainment Weekly
| Owen Gleiberman

Urgent, heartfelt, and not-quite-as-predictable-as-you-think environmental rabble-rouser. Read full review

80
New York Daily News
| Joe Neumaier

Krasinki's soft-sell script, lets the movie's ideas get absorbed without grandstanding or pretension. Its issues go down with a smile and common sense, which turns out to be exactly the right formula. Read full review

80
NPR
| Jeannette Catsoulis

Though the film eventually caves to sentiment and stereotype, its alert performances and muted rhythms offer much to enjoy in the interim. Read full review

75
San Francisco Chronicle
| Mick LaSalle

Promised Land is a fine place to start appreciating Matt Damon, who always makes it seem as if everybody else is acting and he's just going through the movie being natural. Read full review

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Photos

Rosemarie DeWitt as Alice and Matt Damon as Steve Butler in "Promised Land."