Humboldt County

This well-written and well-directed study of the pot growers culture of western Humboldt County, California is informed by a sympathetic and knowledgeable viewpoint. Marijuana use is not demonized, nor is it particularly glamorized. To me, the high points of the film are the performances of the seasoned character-acting pros, Frances Conroy and Brad Dourif. They perfectly capture both the charm and the near insanity of intelligent people who've dropped out of a mass culture driven by greed and selfishness, while yet retaining their own egoistic needs. The film could have been excellent, but it's marred by a couple of casting mistakes. Chris Messina is an excellent and appealing actor, but he is so New York that it's simply impossible for me to see him as a native-born resident of Humboldt County. Still, his skill is such that he almost pulls it off. Jeremy Strong is another matter. I'm sure he can be quite good when properly cast, but in this part he is so utterly affect-less and unappealing that I just can't evoke any empathy for or interest in him. That's not a usually good quality in the protagonist of a film, to say the least. He would certainly be great playing someone on the autism spectrum, though.