October Country

Filmmaker Michael Palmieri teamed with photographer Donal Mosher for this beautifully lensed cinematic portrait of four generations of Mosher's seriously dysfunctional working-class family, who struggle with poverty, abuse, and war trauma, among other issues. Shot over the course of a year that begins and ends on Halloween, the co-directors let their subjects speak for themselves, starting with Dottie and Don, their daughter Donna, and Donna's children, precocious preteen Desirée (aka Desi), and Daneal, a young divorcée fighting for custody of her child. Based in Mohawk Valley, NY, the Moshers—many of whom are chain-smokers—describe a series of woes. Dottie says her husband was never the same after he returned from the Vietnam War. “We just thought he was a mean man,” she sighs. Don, an ex-cop, doesn't dispute her claims. Next up are Dottie and Don's troubled foster son, Chris, and Don's sister, Denise, a self-described witch (clearly this clan has a thing for the letter D). Abusive behavior runs throughout the family history (Desi's father is serving time for child molestation); Dottie hopes someone can break the cycle, but Daneal's controlling boyfriend doesn't seem like a step in the right direction. October Country is not as explosive as the similarly-themed suburban-horror documentary Capturing the Friedmans (VL-1/04), and while a hint of voyeurism hangs over the film, it never feels exploitative. The result is a bleak and melancholy examination of misery and helplessness seen against a lovely backdrop. Recommended. [Note: this is also available for $99.95 w/PPR for public libraries and $195 w/PPR for colleges and universities from The Cinema Guild, www.cinemaguild.com.] Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)