Absolutely the worst movie.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

A movie made by Middle East interests does not bode well for honesty. The movie is a total misrepresentation of fracking processes and does not even attempt to portray the truth. Promised Land is supported by zealous environmentalists who either should know better and do not accept anyother truth or the people who support such trash as this movie and Gasland are all dupes to a persuasive anti fracking group. The Middle East wants all of NA to rely on their oil forever. Shame of Matt Damon but then I guess ethics can be bought for a price. Avoid Promised Land. It is poor entertainment and it is very poor science. Take time to learn about fracking, you may be surprised with the truth.

Promised Land starring Matt Damon (Steve Butler) isn't the bad guy. Howver as the son of a grower himself, he's personable, and—for good measure—he makes sure to say, "I'm not a bad guy" to many of the people he meets. Gus Van Sant's didactic drama, by contrast, is quite a bad movie, though it takes a little while for that to become evident. When Steve and his business partner, Frances McDormand (Sue), arrive in the rural Pennsylvania community that is their company's latest target, the film revels in atmosphere more than plot. There's a real feel for small-town dynamics: The local watering holes seem populated by genuinely weathered homesteaders as opposed to central-casting extras. And you get a vivid sense of who's running the show. Running at only 106 minutes, Promised Land ultimately becomes and feels more of a run time over of 120 minutes.

I thought this was an interesting story about a salesman who basically goes door to door selling fracking (god that word makes me miss Battlestar Galactica). During the movie I thought the plot was good but afterwords I had a few issues with it. I did like that it didn't politicize the subject a lot. It was more about the story then about fracking itself. I also liked that it showed multiple sides of the story.Matt Damon's acting is good, but not his best performance though. You don't see this kind of character development in movies much, that was refreshing. Always lovely to see Rosemarie DeWitt, +1 for her <3

Promised Land, from the prolific director Gus Van Sant, is not his best movie ever, but it showcases his talent for atmospheric storytelling, excellent pacing and crafting memorable settings and scenes. Helped along by a talented cast, most notably Matt Damon, the film ends up being a thought-provoking little drama about an issue with heavy moral and political undertones. A serious film, but not without lighter tones.So what works? The characters, in my opinion. The three main characters, played by Matt Damon, Frances McDormand and John Krasinski, are all unique and interesting individuals, and they showcase excellently the need for layers in good characters. Throughout the movie all three give the impression that they have their own stories outside the happenings of the movie. Stories, which are only hinted at. This creates interest and attachment. All three work off each other beautifully and carry the movie until the very end. Add in a strong supporting cast and I have no complaints whatsoever.Furthermore, the directing is strong. I like Van Sant's way of telling the story without rush or hurry. And yet he doesn't drag his feet either. Rather it's Goldilocks, so to speak.And then, what doesn't work? Well, the only real problem is the writing. This movie is about fracking, the process of pulling natural gas from the ground, but in the process, potentially, ruining the ground itself. As you can probably guess, this is a rather touchy subject and people have complained about the film's unwillingness to pick a side. Personally I can admire its attempt to acknowledge both sides of the debate, but the way this fence-sitting is realized is a bit heavy-handed. The ending solution especially is more than a bit jarring. It has its merits, but I can see why people complain.Still, for the most part even the writing does a credible job, the characters are all interesting, the film looks great and the storytelling is topnotch. Easily recommended if you're looking for a more serious movie experience.