Adapted by Davies from Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s novel, a national touchstone written in Scottish dialect, it's already a tough sell because it deals with a historical period that has passed from living memory, and features actors who aren't household names. 'Sunset Song' has gotten mixed reviews, and I can see why. (In its deft illustration of how macho values oppress men as well as women, 'Sunset Song' is one of the most eloquent feminist statements of the screen year that its statements mostly emerge organically from Davies' portrait of a time and place make them resonate more strongly.) Among the standouts are Ewan Tavendale as Deyn's suitor and later husband, Kevin Guthrie, who is clearly too kind to emerge from this maelstrom of misfortune unscathed and Peter Mullan, the poster boy for toxic manhood, as Deyn's father, a scowling King of the Castle-type whose power resides in his propensity for violence and his society's sanctioning of it, not in moral authority. But there's no undue self-awareness or condescension in Deyn's acting, or in Davies' presentation of her character, and the supporting cast contains not a single bad performance or false note.

Her narration suggests that she one day escaped the grinding life depicted here and became the writer and teacher you always figure she could become. As the observant, reactive Chris, Agyness Deyn makes a marvelous audience surrogate. What to tell you about the plot? I don't want to tell you anything, not because the events themselves are surprising (they aren't-and Davies often purposefully telegraphs what's coming, as a 19th century novelist might) but because the pleasure and pain of the tale lies in the telling.

Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon