I'll cut to the chase as other user reviews on here completely ignore the nuances of the last 30 minutes. Alex finally comes to terms that her advisor is a complete jerk and only is concerned about his promotion and awards and that financial dependence was a mismatch to her fierce independence. Nick has maturity issues but who wouldn't have at his age losing a mother and the ranch. Your entire young life is turned. Steve gets what he wants, Nicks dad gets a new life and Nick begins to ponder his life journey. Dr. Beatty marvels over Alex's discovery as Alex starts her doctoral studies in a new academic environment. Alex is going to ask Steve for a townhouse to rent with plans to stay out west and even adopting a new way of thinking. This film is really good for the geology focus; the reality of academic politics and using grad assistants as cheap labor for research; beautiful landscape cinematography; the differences in people merged together with different responsibilities; and lastly, boyfriends can turn on ya to make a splash.

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source: Unconformity

It is difficult to find a movie without a single likable character in it. Even the geology student, who, as a character held promise initially, became a self centered waste ( screw the fence, let's go drink ) followed by a wishy washy whiny kid ( oh alas, alas, I don't know what to do ). And then there's the boyfriend who screws her over, and the professor who screws her over, and the farmer boy who is so so sad and stomps his feet when she says no, I'm not going to stay in this crappy little desert with you so we can climb rocks together and live happily ever after. Seriously. Some nice scenery, but the acting was crap, and the story was soap, and I van really embarrassed I watched the whole thing.

This was a cute little movie, and should have been more enjoyable. But the fact that the main actress was giving "super disaffected millennial who dgaf what anyone else thinks or does" ruined it. (And I'm a female Millennial who's been known to give that myself...) I get that she's kind of supposed to be tough, has been through hell in academia, and is from the East Coast - I have actually been all of those things so I know - but I'm pretty sure it was her green acting and lack of ability to go deeper emotionally into her character that made her eminently unlikable. Not any of the other context. Either way, it was frustrating because all of the other actors were doing a great job, and the story itself was really engaging. I was glad to see geology getting a highlight! I'm not a scientist, but I'm an avid rock climber, and was really happy to see that also featured in the film. The actress unfortunately frowned, skulked unnecessarily, and displayed no emotional range - anger and eternal aloofness aside. And you needed that range exactly because the character's emotional journey was supposed to be subtle; it was the focal piece of an otherwise very quiet film. In short? She needed more *heart*. Stuck it out because I actually cared about what happened to her friend. Worth it if you like indie films with good stories in spite of stiff acting you can't connect to emotionally.

The premise of the movie is compelling for anyone who has experienced the cutthroat nature of academia: The main girl Alex has her research idea stolen by her (ex) boyfriend. And her new research plan takes her to the Nevada high desert, but she is not supported by her advisor. The movie shows a lot of realistic geology field work, which is pleasantly surprising since most movies about "science" seem more focused on the drama and making things appear high tech, when in reality there is a lot of wandering around the outdoors with a map, trying to piece things together. However, I am not sure how entertaining this is to anyone who is not an academic or a geologist. Alex then meets Nick, the son of a local rancher. I enjoyed this subplot of the film, showing how ranchers can struggle to make a living for themselves, and different aspects of ranch life. Unfortunately towards the end, Nick became incredibly whiny. At the beginning he seemed sweet and was able to break down Alex's walls a bit (she was incredibly standoffish at first). I understand the movie was trying to show how much Nick was being affected by the fear of losing the ranch, but he really just came across as quick to anger and place blame on others. But overall I enjoyed watching the relationship between Nick and Alex grow and become deeper. If anything I wish we could have seen even more interactions between the characters, to really show how close they became in only a matter of a few weeks. The ending was bittersweet, but overall left me pretty pleased with the movie. In summary: Pros excellent developing friendship between characters Nick and Alex showing realistic geology field work, and the power struggles of academia showing the realistic struggles of small family ranchers beautiful cinematography and scenery Cons: I wish the relationship between Alex and Nick could have been a bit more fleshed out, to really emphasize their bond Nick became a bit too whiny towards the end.

Unless they are hidden gems. The editing is outstanding being short and precise. Example is at the end Nick is waiting outside on a college campus watching students walk to class and he throws his rancher hat inside his rancher pickup and walks off camera left to right. Positive. He has finally decided to leave the life of a rancher and get a college education. Numerous shots of Alex were beautifully done. The camera captured her well. She is stunning. I really enjoyed the use of geological nomenclature. It just made sense. My favorite scene was the last one with dad and son sitting on the porch without words as they gaze at the future. One chair remains empty next to them and is soon occupied by Alex. Beautiful scene that summarizes the intentions of the scriptwriter. This movie is not "All hat and no cows". I may view again.

This story combines an expansive landscape with an intimate cast and portrays the struggle of a talented and driven young geologist who seeks academic achievement. She's living in a 'me first' world where there are no rules other than the ones made by those who hold the power. The portrayal of the antagonists in this movie is stunningly accurate, as I've encountered many of them in my working experience. The 'me first' crowd view character traits like trust, honor, and personal dignity as weaknesses to be exploited. Lying and cheating aren't evils, they're useful tools. At the core, this movie is all about character, or the lack thereof. What personal sacrifice will you pay to achieve your goals, and what price will be exacted from you by your peers if you choose to play by the rules? Watch this movie for the landscapes, and for the journey of personal discovery. You won't be disappointed.

I did not know what to expect here, but after watching I had two takeaways: 1) It is beaituflly shot. I love the wide landscape shots and the camera being locked off most, if not all of the film .It really lets everything play within the frame. 2) the acting was very subtle and powerful. Sometimes indie films can push too hard, this was very well done. Really enjoyed the story. I don't know much about archeology, but that didn't hinder me from enjoying! Recommend!

Few films are centered around geology and PhD dissertations. For individuals who appreciate rocks, the struggles of graduate work, mixed with a little romance & desert landscapes - this movie is a must watch. For many others, the pace & storyline won't be enough to keep them from changing the channel. For a small budget film, the camera work and editing is excellent. While the script is average, the acting is very nicely done. When comparing this movie to others in its class, I give it a 7. Overall, I think a 6 for '2022/2021 Dramas' is generous.