That Beautiful Somewhere (2006) User Reviews

Really beautiful camera work accompanying a really terrible film.

[Peter-Eldred · 4/10 · 6 March 2008]

This is a film that could have been great.

It has an interesting premise and theoretically complicated characters; however, in execution it gets almost everything wrong.

The script is terrible. Character development is introduced with a heavy hand and a total lack of imagination, and dialog is clunky at best.

The acting is sub-par. The male lead is competent, and though the leading lady is quite pretty, she's only adept at acting sick and vomiting endlessly. Very little chemistry exists between the two.

The only redeeming factor of the film is its cinematography, which is absolutely breathtaking. It's as if the director found his setting first and decided it was so breathtakingly gorgeous he should track down a story that he could fit to it.

Probably the only reason to check this out is to see some really beautiful landscape shots, and even then, after the first fifteen minutes they seem few and far between.

A contrived plot spoils what might have been an interesting movie

[rowmorg · 6/10 · 30 March 2009]

I'm still giving it an above average score because the two lead actors were watchable (if not always comprehensible) and the location film-making was good. Roy Dupuis told CTV he took the role because the script was well-written. There I would have to disagree: the basic idea that a police detective would stick around after his "murder" victim turned out to date from 200 years ago is too silly for grown-ups. The director evidently had to dub in someone saying off-screen "It's still a murder investigation", presumably as a result of complaints in post-production. Even Dupuis as the detective looked confused and out of place when he heard the news from his lady archaeologist (McGregor). He was obviously thinking: why aren't I driving back to HQ and getting on with the next case like a real cop? Trouble is, this is not a conventional detective movie: the archaeologist is taking over and she is leading them both on a very queer investigation into ancient "healing" techniques which apparently are not even authentic. That's just as well, because if anyone ever attempted to use the method described here they would probably spend many years in prison. It's more appropriate in the hands of CIA torturers, called "waterboarding". I'd like to see Jane McGregor in a less neurasthenic role, and I'd like Dupuis to avoid phony roles like this in future, because he seems like a really good guy and deserves a lot better for turning down the big US dollars and staying in his beloved Canada. I'd like to send this note to the screenwriter/director Robert Budreau: try not to use flashbacks in your pictures. Try very hard, because they are extremely hard to handle, breaking the narrative pace and interrupting the character development. They are nearly always an ego-trip imposed by the screenwriter/director --- and who is that? It's you, Mr Budreau! Just one more thing: why doesn't Ms. McGregor hire a publicity agent? It's impossible to find a biography of her on the internet. For an actor, that's just perverse!

Mysteries and powers of the healing marsh

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 27 March 2013]

"That Beautiful Somewhere" is a Canadian film from 2006, shot in North Bay and Temagami, Ontario. It's part mystery and part love story. I don't mean "mystery" in the conventional sense, but in the sense that the film has a mysterious ambiance and there's a mysterious death, albeit from the distant past. The plot revolves around some remains found in a marsh with supposed healing powers, the archaeologist and cop assigned to the case, and some Native Americans.

The reason I bought the DVD is because the cover makes it look like a film I'd like. I do like it, but not enough to give it anything more than a 6/10 rating. The locations, cinematography, acting and overall atmosphere of the film are top-rate, but certain factors in the story pull down my rating. The biggest being the ending and its sudden surprise; it destroys what was building up to that point.

I guess if you reflect on it, though, it all makes sense and there's some spiritual typology.

What I like most is the film's mysterious and beautiful aura. There's a palpable reverence. Plus I enjoy seeing this remote part of Canada. But the story -- while okay -- isn't all that compelling and the ending does it in.

Still, it's not bad. It's worthwhile if you like this type of fare.

GRADE: C+ or B-

Most boring movie in history

[Poolie · 1/10 · 17 December 2007]

"That Beautiful Somewhere" is a movie that is very well shot but that's all it has going for it. Unless great cinematography is all you want in a movie or unless you are passionate about half-baked aboriginal myths, forget about this one.

You might as well just look at a pretty picture of a swamp for over an hour and half and it will be as exciting as this movie is.

The plot is absolutely idiotic bus mostly "That Beautiful Somewhere" is the slowest, most boring I can remember ever seeing. Even the acting, Roy Dupuis excepted, is amateurish. The leading lady's acting is particularly awful and robotic.

A total waste of nearly 2 hours of my life!

Thought provoking but undeveloped

[jmihevc · 7/10 · 3 December 2007]

The Beautiful Somewhere raises interesting questions about sacrifice and redemption, especially in regards to Conk's actions which leave the viewer wondering about the purity of his motives. The cinematography of the North is beautiful but seems like mere delicious icing on a fairly well baked cake. Unlike Terrence Malick's engagement with nature, where it becomes a character within the film, in The Beautiful Somewhere it remains merely beautiful. I was glad that the film didn't detour into hokey naturalistic transcendentalism leaving us with the tired nature good, civilization (esp. Catholicism) bad dichotomy. My only other complaint about the film was that the relationship between Conk and Catherine needed to develop further. A cold relationship warmed too easily and too quickly. I wasn't looking for answers but for more complexity.

A few problems but still a good movie worth seeing!

[kevnbethp · 7/10 · 15 April 2007]

World weary detective bogged down by guilt over taking care of mother on life support and psychological wounds from having to kill people while at war meets a beautiful anthropologist struggling with a mysterious illness. They both get involved in solving a mystery around a body discovered in a bog rumored to have curative powers.

In my opinion, there were a few editing problems with the movie and the actress, though she had good facial expressions, had some stilted line delivery. However, overall a good film especially with what was to me a surprising ending. I also learned a lot about Indian rituals. This movie was shot in Canada.

A good movie with a great twist

[rutac-1 · 8/10 · 22 May 2007]

This movie had a lot more to offer than I expected going in. There were a great deal of panoramic shots from North Bay and the surrounding area where the movie was filmed, there were well-developed characters, and there was a sense of intrigue. I saw this movie at a local screening with the author of the original book Loon there to answer questions at the end, so I can confirm that the native rituals described in the movie were fictional, so don't show this to your Native studies class.

The acting was well done and the plot moved quickly with a surprising ending, but the relationship between the main characters seemed rushed at times. Overall, an excellent movie well worth a watch.

Very special movie...

[blackdogdancer · 10/10 · 20 August 2012]

I am always worried when I see a movie that is going to depict what life is like for people with chronic migraine. Most of the time it is represented in a terrible and false way that does some harm to those of us that struggle with severe pain. This movie showed migraine in the most truthful way I have ever seen. It was hard for me to watch it at times, because it was so familiar. Besides being a beautiful looking movie, and having such good actors - I really want to applaud the honesty of the film - even though it was a supernatural story in some ways. It is a great movie. Thank you for making this, and for being so truthful about this condition.