North Country (2005)
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A woman working in a dangerous mining community faces a harrowing battle against systemic sexual harassment and corporate negligence.
The story
In 1989, Josey Aimes returns to her hometown in northern Minnesota's Mesabi Iron Range after fleeing an abusive marriage. While working in a hair salon, she takes a high-paying job at a local iron mine. However, she quickly discovers that the female workers are subjected to constant sexual harassment and humiliation by their male co-workers and management. When Josey's attempts to address the issue with her supervisors are ignored and she faces personal retaliation, she decides to seek legal counsel. She must navigate a hostile environment and a dismissive corporate structure to fight for her rights and the safety of her fellow workers.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1989, Josey Aimes moves back to her hometown in northern Minnesota's Mesabi Iron Range. She takes a job at a local iron mine where she discovers that the female workers are subjected to systemic sexual harassment and humiliation. After being targeted by an ex-boyfriend and ignored by her supervisors, Josey is physically and sexually assaulted by her harasser. She eventually seeks legal help from a friend, Bill White, to file a lawsuit. While her coworkers are afraid to join her due to fear of retaliation, Josey proceeds alone. During the legal battle, she learns that her friend Glory has a terminal illness. In court, the defense attempts to discredit her by highlighting her personal history. Josey reveals she was raped by a former teacher, leading to her pregnancy. In a climactic moment, the defense's witness admits he witnessed the rape. Ultimately, a group of women and their supporters stand with her, forcing the mining company to pay the women and establish a landmark sexual policy.
- First release year
- 2005
- Runtime (minutes)
- 126
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Niki Caro
- Writers
- Michael Seitzman · writer
- Cast and characters
- Charlize Theron · Josephine "Josey" Aimes; Frances McDormand · Glory Dodge; Sean Bean · Kyle Dodge; Richard Jenkins · Henry "Hank" Aimes; Jeremy Renner · Robert "Bobby" Sharp; Michelle Monaghan · Sherry; Woody Harrelson · Bill White; Sissy Spacek · Alice Aimes
- Genres
- legal drama; drama
- Themes
- sexual harassment; women's rights; labor rights; corporate accountability; maternal protection
- Tone and mood
- serious; dramatic; tense
- Setting
- Northern Minnesota's Mesabi Iron Range in 1989.
- Premise and plot tags
- legal drama; based on true events; mining; women's rights
- Source material / true-story basis
- Class Action: The Story of Lois Jenson and the Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law by Clara Bingham and Laura Leedy Gansler
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics but underperformed at the box office.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 70% · scale: percentage · review count: 174; Metacritic · score: 68 · scale: 100 · review count: 39
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Actress · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actress · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film is based on the real-life case of Jenson v. Eveleth Taconite Company.; The character of Glory Dodge was based on Pat Kosmach.; The film was shot in several Minnesota towns including Eveleth, Virginia, Chisholm, and Hibbing.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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