I had no idea what to expect when I watched God’s Own Country. I thought maybe it would have some themes regarding religion from the title. From the beginning, I could feel the oppressive loneliness that Johnny felt, trapped by his duty in life at a young age with no solace of companionship. His life seemed so bleak, and the grey and cool tones of the movie before Gheorghe’s appearance really emphasized the feeling of emptiness. Even so, I could see the kindness in him from how he spoke to the animals when no one else was watching, but his simultaneous hatred for them due to the pressure he felt from his father and dissatisfaction with his life.

When Gheorghe was introduced, I felt that simply the change in the depressing routine made Johnny more lively, even though it was expressed through rudeness, as he tried to assert his dominance over Gheorghe by insulting him. I loved that Gheorghe did not do what Johnny assumed he would do; he fought back and did not get pushed over. When they went on their trip, I thought the lack of dialogue felt very realistic, and just made their every glance and motion so much more significant. The first time they had sex reminded me of Brokeback Mountain because of the feeling of pent-up lust, desperation, and want for dominance. I thought that the fact that their sex was depicted in this way could have to do with them being in the wild, just as the characters in Brokeback Mountain were, far from civilization and with no boundaries on appropriate ways to love. I thought that the awkwardness after their first night portrayed that what had happened almost seemed like a dream and that it was very well contrasted against the comfortableness they had in a later scene where they sat, naked, after sex as well, showing their increasing trust in each other.

I was pleasantly surprised by each of the characters. Though both the mother, father, and Johnny himself first only showed their unpleasant sides, each character’s personality was gradually developed and each showed increasing softness and humanity. Though the scene where the father finally gives Johnny approval was very touching, I actually found the role of the mother more beautiful. She worked un-thanked and she was strong in the way that she thought was best, admonishing Johnny out of worry and not showing her tears from the father’s condition to Johnny.