The County

Set in small-town Iceland, The County follows farmer Inga (Arndís Hrönn Egilsdóttir), still reeling from a personal tragedy, as she decides to expose the corruption within her local co-op. The County, though it opens with a needlessly graphic cow birth, is certainly at its best in its deliberate yet fairly compelling opening stretch, as filmmaker Grímur Hákonarson does an effective job of establishing the central character and remote environment in which she resides – with, in terms of the latter, the movie benefiting substantially from cinematographer Mart Taniel’s often breathtaking visuals. It’s the emphasis on Inga’s grief that initially draws the viewer into the less-than-eventful proceedings, and although the movie’s whistlerblower-focused midsection is relatively interesting, The County eventually progresses into an egregiously dry third act that threatens to undo the otherwise positive atmosphere established by Hákonarson – which does cement the picture’s place as a well-intentioned (and completely erratic) piece of work.

**1/2 out of ****