In NORTH ON EVERS James Benning takes the road movie seriously, making his circular trip across the U.S. a marvelously photographed, intensely felt, and disturbing portrait of contemporary America. In many ways, this recent film is a departure of Benning’s earlier films which are characterized, at times, by extremely long, carefully planned takes and a minimal narrative approach. In NORTH ON EVERS, the shots are kept short with a narrative that is direct and detailed, like a diary or a long series of postcards to a friend. What this work shares with the other films is a dry wit and a deep interest in the American social landscape.
Cinematography
Each frame could hang in a gallery. Seriously.
Editing
Short shots that accumulate into devastating emotional weight.
Direction
Benning's most accessible yet still uncompromising vision.
Director
James Benning
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Richard Linklater appears early in his career, making this a fascinating time capsule of two experimental American filmmakers crossing paths.
The title refers to a street in Milwaukee near Benning's childhood home, grounding this national epic in deeply personal geography.
US
