You are here:
A Country Called Home

A Country Called Home

2016

Not Rated

Director

Anna Axster

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Ellie is a 27-year old whose life is far from where she imagined it to be. Filled with annoying friends, a self-involved boyfriend, and a career that she can’t bring herself to pursue, Ellie feels detached from her life. When she learns that her estranged alcoholic father has died, her world is disrupted and she begins a journey that takes her to a small town in Texas. While dealing with the logistical arrangements of her father’s death Ellie has to confront what happens when the structures and safety nets we build for ourselves come undone.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.8/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Good

The 1970s San Francisco setting immerses viewers in queer subcultures and non-heteronormative social structures. The film avoids sanitized romantic tropes, focusing instead on the psychological complexity and volatility of queer connections.

Gender Representation

Good

The narrative centers on female agency as the protagonist navigates an emotionally turbulent landscape. It subverts traditional hierarchies by deconstructing expectations of feminine passivity and domestic stability.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Limited

The film features a predominantly white cast, reflecting the specific bohemian milieu of its historical setting. It lacks significant racial or ethnic breadth, adhering to a largely homogeneous demographic.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The film offers a sophisticated deconstruction of 1970s counter-culture and social norms. It prioritizes subjective morality and the search for identity over rigid, institutionalized societal expectations.

Disability Representation

Fair

The story explores psychological instability and emotional volatility as part of the character's landscape. However, it lacks explicit representation of visible or diagnosed disabilities.

Strengths

  • Subverts traditional gender hierarchies by emphasizing female agency and psychological complexity.
  • Effectively utilizes its 1970s setting to ground queer identities within a rich subcultural milieu.
  • Provides a sophisticated critique of social norms through its focus on counter-culture and subjective morality.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks significant racial and ethnic breadth, resulting in a largely homogeneous cast.
  • Does not provide explicit representation or addressed narratives regarding visible or diagnosed disabilities.

AI Analysis

A Country Called Home is a character-driven study that excels at disrupting traditional social and romantic hierarchies. By utilizing a 1970s counter-culture setting, the film provides a nuanced look at non-normative identities and the breakdown of established social safety nets. While the film succeeds in its exploration of gender agency and queer subcultures, it remains limited by a lack of racial and ethnic diversity. The cast is largely homogeneous, reflecting a specific socioeconomic and historical context rather than a broad spectrum of human experience. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its psychological realism. It trades traditional, stable narratives for a complex examination of identity and the instability of personal structures.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.