Green and Gold Parent Guide

Buck (Craig T. Nelson) is an obstinate man. He’s a dairy farmer, determined to use traditional methods to protect the soil, but he can’t stand against the economic headwinds that reduce milk prices as costs rise. The bank is going to foreclose on the farm until Buck makes a wild bet with the bank manager. If his adored Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl, he’ll get a year’s respite from payments and interest. That should give him enough time to stabilize the farm’s finances so he can pass it on to his granddaughter. If the Packers lose, the bank will get it all: house, cattle, and land.

Unlike her grandfather, Jenny’s (Madison Lawlor) dreams aren’t rooted in the farm. She’s a singer and songwriter and wants to see the world. But when she has a shot at the big time, her grandfather’s obstinacy gets between them. Now Jenny and Buck will both have to decide what matters most.

The struggling family farm movie is a perpetually relevant genre. I live in farm and ranch country and am well aware of the perverse economic challenges that batter the people who work all hours to provide us with an abundant supply of food. If you want a contemporary retelling of this issue, Green and Gold hits all the beats – devoted farm family, love of the land, economic challenges, mental health issues, heartless bankers.

In Buck, director Anders Lindwall has found a protagonist who is particularly appealing for our day. Yes, Buck is close-minded, and yes, he’s pig-headed. But as Jenny describes him, “For my grandpa Buck farming wasn’t a job or even a way of life. It was a sacred act. And from what he could tell most of the problems for man stemmed from the fact that he no longer had his hands in the dirt.” Buck is a man who has found a philosophy that guides his life – stewardship of the land – and a passion to cheer it – the Green Bay Packers. Add in his relationships with his wife and granddaughter and Buck has a life filled with meaning. If only he could make a living…

The rest of the film is less engrossing with the musical subplot failing to hold my interest, partially, no doubt, because I don’t care for Jenny’s country-lite songs. The ending also drives me bonkers – an if-you-farm-it-they-will-come resolution feels about as fake as it can get, eroding the sense of authenticity built up throughout the film.

Overall, I’m ambivalent about Green and Gold. The story (aside from the ending) has some heft. The issues the movie raises are important. The acting is excellent and newbie Madison Lawlor is particularly good: she’s completely believable as the farm girl whose love of the land battles with her career ambitions. Negative content is also minor, with small amounts of profanity and an abortive suicide attempt. But despite the movie’s pluses, it failed to move me. It could be my dislike of football and my irritation over the whole idea of betting the farm on a game. It’s possible that viewers with other interests will love this movie. The only way to know is to watch it.