God's Own Country

A tender romance develops between two young men in this naturalistic, low-key drama, which is set on a windswept farm in Yorkshire. Josh O'Connor stars as Johnny, a surly, emotionally repressed sheep farmer who is unhappy with his life. As soon as work is finished for the day, he gets drunk; whenever he has sex, it is emotionless and perfunctory. However, everything changes with the arrival of a handsome Romanian farmhand (Alec Secareanu), who forces Johnny to confront his feelings. There's little dialogue for these taciturn characters, but their strong performances convey a range of emotions. While the film can sometimes feel slow, patient viewers will be rewarded during the final act, which is surprisingly hopeful and affecting.