The movie is filmed in heartbreakingly beautiful rural Pennsylvania. A charming salesman Steve Butler/Matt Damon tries to convince the people sign over the natural gas fracking rights to their properties. It is like a tug of war, where each side in the conflict gains a temporary small advantage. Each side gets to pitch their side with conviction. There almost no hard information about fracking, but there is lots of emotion for both sides. It is "fuck you" greed vs nostalgia for an inevitably dying rural lifestyle. The movie never takes the environmental case seriously, but it turns out there is a reason you can forgive them that. The case for preservation is made mostly visually where the camera does time lapse or panning shots over the amazing landscapes. The rest is sentimental hokum.
You watch Steve gradually become more and more disillusioned with what he has been doing. The movie builds to the climax when Steve tells all to a big audience.
The main thing that did not work for me is the immaculate giant white homes with manicured lawns even single people live in, yet they are all supposed be on the edge of bankruptcy. The other is the witty small town bar banter. In reality, it would be much much more dumbed down.
You watch Steve gradually become more and more disillusioned with what he has been doing. The movie builds to the climax when Steve tells all to a big audience.
The main thing that did not work for me is the immaculate giant white homes with manicured lawns even single people live in, yet they are all supposed be on the edge of bankruptcy. The other is the witty small town bar banter. In reality, it would be much much more dumbed down.