Promised Land

Promised Land is the timely new drama directed by Gus Van Sant (Milk, My Own Private Idaho), written by Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) and John Krasinski (TV's The Office) based on a story by Dave Eggers (Where the Wild Things Are).

Matt Damon plays Steve Butler, an ace corporate Natural Gas salesman who is sent along with his partner, Sue Thomason (Frances McDormand), to close a key rural town in his company’s expansion plans. With the town having been hit hard by the economic decline of recent years, the two outsiders see the local citizens as an easy sell; highly likely to accept their company’s offer of drilling rights to their properties as much-needed financial relief.

What began as an easy job for the duo becomes complicated by the objection of a respected schoolteacher (Hal Holbrook) to the proposed local Fracking; with support from a grassroots campaign led by another man (John Krasinski), as well as the interest of a local woman (Rosemarie DeWitt), Steve and Sue are stuck between their company's financial desires and the environmental and human challenges of this close-knit rural town. Promised Land explores America at the crossroads where big business and the strength of small-town community converge.