North Country is a women's rights piece that recalls the Sally Field film Norma Rae, and I find it extremely interesting that most of the males in this picture are precisley the type of men Charlize Theron's character in Monster would have put down.

North Country is based on true events and tells the story of single mom Josie Aimes (played by an effective Charlize Theron), an independent woman who would take a mining company to court after being mistreated one too many times. After failing to convince the equally mistreated women at her work place to get behind her cause, she realizes she has no choice but to go it alone. That is until lonely attorney Bill White (Woody Harrelson) reluctantly decides to represent her.

Yes, you read that synopsis correctly. The woman is helpless until the man comes to her rescue. In all honesty though, North Country isn't about a damsel in distress. Josie is a strong female character who, while extremely scared, fights the good fight regardless. The film works surprisingly well given the rather heavy handed mechanics of the screenplay. In fact, for the most part, I found North Country extremely effective, and I attribute it's power to brilliant acting and strong direction from Nicki Caro, a film maker responsible for one of my favorite pictures of 2002, the majestic Whale Rider. That movie too was about women's rights, but it was a little more subtle and family friendly than North Country. Still, this film isn't without it's moments of power.

While Charlize Theron is billed as the star, North Country plays more as an ensemble and every performance is top notch. Theron is tough but vulnerable, and we learn that there are deep rooted emotional issues at the core of this complicated woman. This lovely, talented actress proves that Monster was no fluke. Sissy Spacek (the Coal Miner's Daughter herself) and Richard Jenkins (a terrific character actor) are powerful as Josie's parents. Jenkins in particular, takes part in two of the film's strongest sequences, and elevates the screenplay above Lifetime Channel fare. Woody Harrelson is terrific as an attorney who's not entirely sure he knows what he's gotten himself into, but by the end of the picture he's assertive and extremely likable. Frances McDormand is sensational as Josie's ill friend Glory, a strong woman who realizes deep down that she too isn't respected by the men she works with, but chooses to look the other way. Sean Bean turns in one of his best (and most subtle) performances as Glory's caring husband.

North Country suffers from heavy handed strokes. The evil men who work at the mining field, aren't just mean, their callous beyond belief (going so far as to do a little finger painting with their own feces), and while I have no doubt that there is sexism and harassment in the work place, I found that the film did take things a little too far. Also adding to the overly melodramatic is a Dead Poet's Society inspired ending that doesn't work because most of the individuals taking part in the "oh captain my captain" scenario haven't really learned anything or contributed to Josie's cause. They don't take any sort of stance until after the dirty work has already been done. This display of so-called respect didn't work for me at all.

Norma Rae and Dead Poet's Society aren't the only movies that I was reminded of here either. There's a moment in which a persistent White badgers a witness into revealing "the truth" even though he might not be able to "handle the truth". This sequence has A Few Good Men written all over it. Not that movies don't borrow from other movies, but this was an extremely self conscious scene.

North Country is impressive in that many scenes that really shouldn't work, do work because the stellar cast is always up to the challenge. Take for instance a scene in which a terrified Josie has the courage to speak to room full of co-workers who clearly don't like her. Theron plays the scene with gut wrenching realism, and Richard Jenkins caps off the sequence with perhaps the most moving speech in the film.

By the same token, there are scenes that don't work or feel a little out of place. There's a pivotal sequence in a classroom that's poorly played, particularly by the actor who plays the teacher. There's also a scene in which the head of the mining comany has a misogynistic field day with his female attorney. While I understand the intent of the scene, it was unnecessary.

North Country is tough to watch at times. In fact, it can be a downright uncomfortable experience. Some of what these despicable men do to these women isn't fit for print. And how the women deal with this abuse is extremely realistic. This isn't one of those underdog pictures where all the women revolt and start fighting back, because we all know that in the real world, things aren't that easy. The issues on display in the movie are dealt with in a restrained, honest manner (save for the previously discussed courtroom ending - which is sappy to say the least).

North Country isn't a perfect film. It does tend to get weighed down by the overly melodramatic, and at times, it does go too far - but overall, this is a provocative, meaningful movie and I applaud Caro and her cast for a job well done.