2014 Movie
Dir. Jesse Moss · United States of America · English
On one side, this is a look at the real-life efforts of local North Dakota Pastor Jay Reinke to provide shelter for Oil-working migrants in his Church for the course of well over two years – he ends up calling this The Overnighters Program. On another, it is the story of more than a thousand people living the broken American Dream, the pastor’s concerned, sensible neighbors, his well-meaning attempts backfiring, and all that’s in between. The Overnighters is an engaging, if not highly-aware, award-winning documentary that feeds on altruism, hope of redemption, and their ideal truth about the nature of human existence.
Desperate, broken men chase their dreams and run from their demons in the North Dakota oil fields. A local Pastor's decision to help them has extraordinary and unexpected consequences.
"Demands a rewatch, and is so stuffed with incident that someone should remake it into an overcooked, Americana melodrama."
— Ashley Clark
"While initially a gentle interrogation of Christian dogma, The Overnighters expands to a larger investigation of altruism and its roots in private psychologies."
— Eric Kohn
DGA
1 nom
Sundance
1 win
Christina Hale is a contributing writer at A Good Movie to Watch, focused on highlighting overlooked films and shows across the major streaming platforms. Her reviews emphasize craft and storytelling over algorithmic popularity.
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