Watch Promised Land

Promised Land is a dramatic film from 2012 starring Matt Damon, Frances McDormand, and John Krasinski. Directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Damon and Krasinski, it tells the story of Steve Butler (Damon), a sales representative for a natural gas company, who visits a rural town in Pennsylvania to convince the residents to allow hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," on their land.

The film takes place in a small town that has been struggling economically since the local manufacturing plant closed down. Butler and his colleague, Sue Thomason (McDormand), come to the town in the hopes of convincing the residents to lease their land to Global Crosspower Solutions, the natural gas company they work for. They offer generous compensation to the landowners, who are tempted by the prospect of quick money.

At first, Butler is confident that his sales pitch is foolproof. He is convinced that fracking is safe and will bring much-needed jobs and prosperity to the town. But he soon faces opposition from a local science teacher, Frank Yates (Krasinski), and an environmental activist, Dustin Noble (John Kransinski).

As the town becomes divided over the issue, Butler finds himself questioning his own beliefs and motivations. He realizes that he has been misled by his company and that fracking is not as safe and beneficial as he thought. He also develops feelings for a local woman, Alice (Rosemarie DeWitt), who opposes fracking and is skeptical of Butler's intentions.

The film explores several themes, including environmentalism, corporate greed, and the morality of doing what is right versus doing what is profitable. It shows how people's beliefs and values can be manipulated by those in power and how an individual's conscience can lead them to unexpected places.

Damon delivers a convincing performance as Steve Butler, a man who starts out as a confident salesman but becomes increasingly conflicted as he learns more about the impact of fracking on the environment and the people who live near drilling sites. McDormand is also excellent as Sue Thomason, Butler's colleague, who is more pragmatic and opportunistic than he is but also more realistic about the consequences of their actions.

Krasinski, who co-wrote the script with Damon, plays a crucial role as Frank Yates, a former engineer who now teaches science at the local high school. He is passionate about educating people about the dangers of fracking and becomes a thorn in the side of Butler and Thomason. Despite their differences, Yates and Butler have several conversations that reveal the complexities of the issue and the conflicting emotions that both men feel.

Overall, Promised Land is a thought-provoking and poignant film that raises important questions about our society's relationship with the environment and the lengths we will go to in order to achieve economic success. It is a timely and relevant story that will make viewers think about the choices we make and the consequences of those choices.

Promised Land is a 2012 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 46 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6 and a MetaScore of 55.