Written and directed by Cameron Labine, Mountain Men stars Tyler Labine and Chase Crawford as brothers who have grown apart since their dad went missing and is presumed dead. The wedding of the their mother Marion (Christine Willes) brings the two men together. A trip to the family cabin to evict a squatter ends with them being stranded on top of the snow-covered mountain.
Topher (Labine) stayed behind and Cooper (Crawford) moved away and became successful. The distance between the two siblings is more than that of geography, they are miles apart in everything. Once at the cabin the brother’s end up with the truck destroyed the cabin burnt to the ground and no way of contacting anyone back in the town.
The two have unresolved issues and on their first night headed off the mountain, Coop eats too many pot cookies and walks off a cliff breaking his leg. Topher uses a survival guide, written by their father, to splint Coop’s leg and then he begins the long trek to get Cooper off the mountain.
As the brothers make their way down to civilization, they work on the many issues that stands between them.
The film looks brilliant, the lighting works to make the atmosphere look mind-numbingly cold. Labine is excellent as the pot dealing “professional DJ” whose much younger girlfriend is pregnant. Crawford is spot on as the stressed out younger brother whose life is unravelling.
Mountain Men was filmed in British Columbia and the stunning scenery helps to move the story along. The tale is slow moving, but not sluggish, and quite low-key. As a dramedy the film works toward a satisfactory conclusion that feels spot on.
There is no violence in this film, apart from a half-hearted wrestling/fist fight on a mound of snow, and while the language contains a number of “F-Bombs” these are not gratuitous in nature and match the situations.
Topher and Cooper work to patch up differences and begin to bond after so many years of mutual disgruntlement with one another. The two men have an excellent chemistry and this helps to move the story on.
This is a film that, despite its low key approach, warms the heart and entertains brilliantly. It is described as a family film and with a lack of sex, violence or gore, could be classified as such but viewers with young children will find they get bored and the language is too grown up for the under 12s.
Mountain Men is streaming on Netflix and is a real 5 star film that can best be described as “On Golden Pond” for the younger set. Heart warming, slow and peaceful, apart from at least two “life threatening” situations. The film is about growing up and accepting what the world is.
Watch this one and see why filmmaking is not all about superheroes or car chases, or shootouts. Sometimes the best films are just about people. Head over now and turn this one on.
Go ahead and treat yourself to a pleasant viewing experience.
Wow !!!!! What a movie. Sweet, sad, funny, scary, mysterious …. tremendously awesome! The two brothers are great actors.