Percy Vs Goliath

When steely-eyed, shock-cropped Christopher Walken pumps his shotgun at the menacing bad guys, you know he means business. And that business, is a long, drawn out legal battle debating the legality of farming certain seeds. You may now sit back down.

In typical Canadian prairie fashion, "Percy" is more about wide landscapes, small community life, and a farmer's dedicated connection to the land, than inflammatory court room drama. Based on the true story of Saskatchewan Percy Schmeiser who wound up with Monsanto seed seeding itself on his land and then having the conglomerate giant bullying him into ruinous payment. Unyielding and stoic to a bankrupting fault, and against all sensible advice, Percy takes the case all the way to the Supreme Court.

As a juicy David vs Goliath fable, "Percy" moves at a snail's pace, generating it's lure through the perseverance and dogged determination of a man not necessarily pushing back, but standing defiantly in the way. As usual Walken is quite good, even in a calm, reserved role, one that doesn't require any shouting, gun play, or dancing. Who woulda thunk it?

A nice historic piece, "Percy" is not for everyone. But those happy to settle for an old school story that presents a cloudy subject in clear black and white, peppered with classic Canuck manners and pacing, will not be sorry.

• hipCRANK

Greetings again from the darkness. When one thinks of casting a farmer in a legal drama, surely Oscar winner Christopher Walken (THE DEER HUNTER, 1978) is not even on the first two pages of the casting director's list. However, lest we forget, a great actor will make a role their own, which is exactly what Mr. Walken does here. Director Clark Johnson (known mostly for his TV acting and directing) is working from a script by co-writers Garfield Lindsay Miller and Hillary Pryor, and it's based on the true story of Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser, who fought corporate giant Monsanto all the way to the Supreme Court.

Walken as Percy admits, "I save my seeds." If this were the story of canola seeds that some farmer saves each year for his crops, I'm guessing there would be little interest. But of course this is the story of one independent farmer standing up for the rights of all farmers against agricultural giant Monsanto. This is the age old story of "the little engine that could", or the high hopes of 'the little old ant who thought he could move the rubber tree plant.' Percy and his wife Louise (Roberta Maxwell) are grounded folks - he mostly keeps to himself, and she is known locally for her pie-baking expertise. These are good folks who are working the same land that's been passed down for generations in his family.

The lives of Saskatchewan farmers Percy and Louise get rocked when, in 1998, Monsanto sues them for the presence of a patented formula in Percy's canola crop. He's no dummy, and Percy knows that he has always carefully collected his own seeds each season ... just as his father taught him. He's also a fighter, so Percy enlists local attorney Jackson Weaver (Zach Braff) to handle the case against a sea of Monsanto white man attorneys (yet another battle pitting a little guy against big money). Overly enthusiastic environmental activist Rebecca Salcau (Christina Ricci) offers help to Percy from her organization, and this leads to multiple speaking engagements for him as he literally travels around the world. Their objectives are different - Rebecca wants safe crops (not sprayed with harmful chemicals), while Percy wants independence to farm. Monsanto is there to protect their patented process that increases yields and profits.

There is a 2009 documentary that focuses on Percy Schmeiser, but I have no idea where to find it. The story is fascinating, as it involves unusual characters and the safety of food crops. Supporting work is provided by Luke Kirby and Martin Donovan, though neither are given much to work with. The joy here is in watching Christopher Walken dig in to a role that demands much from him. It's far removed from the caricatures he often plays these days. Veteran Cinematographer Luc Montpellier (CAIRO TIME, 2009) is stuck in the courtroom a bit too much, but when the camera heads outside, he does his best work. Percy died in October 2020 at the age of 89, and director Johnson includes a photo of Percy and Louise over the closing credits. He was quite a little engine that could ... and did.

In Select Theaters, on Digital and On Demand April 30.

It's based on a true story. Very good & believable acting overall from the entire cast, I thoroughly enjoyed this particular topic as i wasn't aware of this iconic trial which became an International precedent for other Farmers worldwide, and not be part of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) trying to own farmlands via their majority shares on MONSANTO Genetically Modified Organisms => Let me refresh you the horrible haunting Eugenics/Transhumanist damages of the past: Remember the Terminator Seeds Scandal?

Where Multiple Companies & their shareholders tried to create a MONOPOLY of the World's Agriculture, country per country, while minimizing the damages on Human Health & escaping from this form of Bio-Terrorism; which eventually blew up with hundreds of lawsuits worldwide in 2014? Well there ya go.

I thoroughly enjoyed the evolution of the main thematic, from an isolated & local idyllic farming town issue, to an International problematic, from which the Suffering & Death are implicit themes, that are shared in specific scenes between the main cast & other characters (especially was fascinated by the dialogue on Far East Philosophies & Religious beliefs).

This movie is a Testament between those who Love & cherish the intrinsic value of LIFE and those who worship a Culture of DEATH.

Ps: I hope somebody makes a movie about José Bové, the french farmer who used a Flamethrower on Monsanto GMO Fields & even burnt a McDonalds that promoted GMO Food... was sent to jail. He is now a E. U. Green Party Parliamentary.

In 1998, Percy Schmeiser (Christopher Walken) is a cantankerous canola farmer in rural Saskatchewan. He receives a letter from Monsanto demanding $19k for using their crop genes. It's the groundbreaking legal battle between a single farmer and a global conglomerate. Jackson Weaver (Zach Braff) is his small town lawyer. Rebecca Salcau (Christina Ricci) is an environmental advocate eager to join the case.

This is very much the standard underdog story. The movie should center around Percy and Jackson. Rebecca does muscle into the second lead position and that is problematic. I can understand the movie writing an environmentalist in that way. It may even be very true to the reality. It would be better to make her less prominent. There is also the problem of Monsanto as the villain. It has no face and the movie generates no actual character doing the villainy. In the end, this important little-known story has a simple compelling lead hero and that's good.

Being from Saskatoon just west of Bruno Sask. I remember this story well and think this man is more than a local hero he's an international hero. To stand up against a major Goliath of a corporation as he did took more guts than most people have .I have family who farm in Sask. And Ab. And one who runs a minor seed and feed company West of Saskatoon and the outcome of this case impacted them as well .He to me should be held in the highest regard alongside. Erin Brockovich and others who stood up for what is right but because this was a story that took place in Canada rather than the U. S. A. It is not as well known. Erin Brockovich Stands up against giants but does not have a dog in the fight as Percy did and had a lot more press coverage to feed a larger group. So for a small time Farmer and community he is the gIant.