It's sorely tempting to dismiss North Country as little more than shameless Oscar bait but that would do this quietly powerful drama a disservice. A work very much in the vein of Norma Rae or Silkwood, this Niki Caro-helmed ensemble piece packs quite a punch and did land Charlize Theron another Oscar nomination. Inspired by the true story of the landmark class action lawsuit that revolutionized sexual harassment law, Theron stars as Josey Aimes, a single mother of two children whose life could charitably be described as hard luck. After leaving her abusive husband, Josey finds work at the Pearson taconite mine, alongside her friend, Glory (Frances McDormand).

As Josey becomes more familiar with mine life, she discovers that women are uniformly unwelcome in this greatly masculine workplace; epithets, gestures, graffiti and even physical attacks contribute to a climate of fear among the female employees of the Pearson mine. Glory, who serves as a union representative, has a laissez faire approach towards the brutal abuse, while Josey feels the women should take a stand and fight back through legal channels.

Penned by Michael Seitzman, taking inspiration from the Clara Bingham/Laura Leedy Gansler novel "Class Action: The Story of Lois Jensen and the Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law," North Country maintains a pretty even keel, narratively speaking, until the utterly maudlin climax, steeped in true TV-movie-of-the-week theatrics (I'll avoid spoilers here). Frankly, the flimmakers' choice at the conclusion saps much of the poignancy and power from what's previously been a gripping, anguishing tale.

Aside from the story's inherent tension, North Country derives a lot of power from cinematographer Chris Menges' startling images – filmed on location in Minnesota mine country, the Pearson pits and washrooms are lit like the depths of hell, all raw rock and billowing steam. Figuratively and literally, these Stygian surroundings amplify the women's struggle. Also of note is the truly accomplished cast: aside from Theron and McDormand, North Country also boasts Sean Bean, Richard Jenkins, Xander Berkeley, Sissy Spacek and in one of the film's most subtly devastating turns, Jeremy Renner.

A moving story of sacrifice and courage, North Country builds to what promises to be a shattering climax, only to squander its potential on treacle – Theron's performance is gritty and compelling, earning the actress high marks for yet again finding beauty where there seemingly is none.

The Video:

Grimly industrial and set in foreboding, frigid Minnesota, the wintry landscapes and flat glare of the courtroom are both given sharp, near flawless life with a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The vivid whites are without defect and there's no discernible evidence of edge enhancement or other flaws. A very solid image.

North Country arrives on DVD sporting a warm, robust Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack (French 5.1 is also on board). For a film largely driven by dialogue, there are still a few immersive moments (particularly when explosives are detonated) and Gustavo Santoloalla's evocative score, augmented with several well-chosen Bob Dylan cuts, fills in nicely.

There isn't much in the way of supplemental material, but what's available is worth exploring: "Stories From The North Country" is a 16-minute documentary that details the true story behind the events which inspired the film, including interviews with Lois Jensen, the woman who instigated the class action lawsuit; nine deleted scenes, presented in non-anamorphic widescreen, are only viewable together and the film's theatrical trailer are all that's included.

North Country is an emotionally brutal, complex film that doesn't offer easy answers to tough questions - a shame then that the filmmakers choose a maudlin climax to an otherwise riveting work. Theron and McDormand deliver textured performances that make North Country worth a cursory visit. Recommended.