User Reviews

In this "covid" day and age, it is "difficult" to find a movie that appeals. On first thought i wanted to pass this title up, but wanted a movie that even slightly peaked my interest, this one did and I decided to watch! WISE CHOICE!

Fighting the big companies that insist we owe them for things we had no, never knew we did, is insane. Good people fighting, turning on each other over issues that were $$$ involved, and a matter of their lively hoods. BIG companies who try and bring down the little guys, who care, when they are the ones making ppl ill..(no names here)...is just wrong.....I applaud you Percy you are the hero!

"Percy" (a.k.a. "Percy Vs Goliath") is a biographical drama film based on the life of Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser. Directed by Clark Johnson ("S. W. A. T.", "The Sentinel") and starring Christopher Walken, Christina Ricci, and Zach Braff, it is a relatively routine true story picture that benefits primarily from its main star holding things together.

In 1998, in the Canadian town of Bruno, Saskatchewan, elderly farmer Percy Schmeiser (Christopher Walken) one day discovers he is being sued by the Monsanto corporation for allegedly using their enhanced GMO seeds for several years. Due to his family's limited funds, Percy cannot afford to take them on by himself and so enlists the help of young hotshot lawyer Jackson Weaver (Zach Braff) and environmental activist Rebecca Salcau (Christina Ricci) to fight a legal battle to ensure the safety of crops belonging to farmers everywhere. Because of the constant media exposure, Percy and his team gain many supporters from all over the world who motivate them to keep going in their pursuit of justice over the domineering corporate businesses.

Since moving to a more rural neighbourhood many years ago, I have come to appreciate how hard farmers work to provide consumers with the best quality product they are capable of growing. Naturally, there will be various things that prove problematic along the way, such as the pressure to use GMOs or unsafe pesticides in their fruits and vegetables. In the film "Percy", we see that these factors are more serious than we may have originally thought, causing us to question the legality of corporate interference in selling harvested crops to unknowing customers. Although the film initially presents this as a locally Canadian issue, it is later established that there are corporations in other countries guilty of doing this as well. One scene in particular shows that farmers in India are suffering at the hands of big businesses bullying them into submission, which has contributed to high suicide rates among workers in that profession. It made me wonder how badly farmers have it in my own area as more than twenty years later, the issue of GMOs and pesticides are still a prevalent issue today.

There's little to say in terms of the directorial style here. Clark Johnson keeps things going at a simplistic level, intercutting between moments of Percy and co discussing legal matters with generic shots of the Saskatchewan farmland. Granted, it would be rather difficult to make subject matter like GMO seeds interesting to most audiences but for the most part he succeeds, showing that the future of a farmer's livelihood is at stake here. While I am aware this film is based on true events, I still wish it was less pedestrian in its approach to the source material. Everything felt as though it was following a typical template set by much better biographical dramas before it. As a result, I often found myself drifting in and out of my investment in the story, as I could tell right away how things were going to end due to the predictable direction that it was heading. Despite that, I was at least still curious to see how other farmers would react to the final court ruling of what Percy and his group ended up with.

It's easy to take for granted an actor like Christopher Walken, due to how prolific he is and the large amount of bizarre performances he's given in the past. Here, however, Walken demonstrates a dramatic range we often forget he's capable of, bringing a relatable sincerity to the role of Percy Schmeiser, a humble Canadian farmer who only wants what's best for the produce he grows (in this case, canola), bringing a necessary emotional centre to the film. I'm not sure how accurate his accent was, as American and Canadian accents sound almost identical to me, but I did feel he did a decent enough job convincing me that he was from North of the border. It was also nice to see Christina Ricci in a supporting role, as I consider her to be highly underrated. Ricci is one of those actresses whom I've never seen give a bad performance in anything she's in, and this film is no exception. I liked how her character remained a loyal ally to Percy, even accompanying him on international ventures to promote his cause. Zach Braff, on the other hand, wasn't featured as often as he should have been. This is a shame as I enjoyed seeing his character standing up for Percy and farmers everywhere based on his own moral principles rather than for monetary reasons. He is only prominently seen during the first and final acts of the film, which leads me to believe he was likely written in as a mere afterthought.

While the film is nothing groundbreaking, it's still a decent enough drama to hold one's attention for its short duration of 99 minutes. It proudly wears its anti-capitalist morals on its sleeve so anyone who likes movies that try to "stick it to the man" should derive enough entertainment from something like this. As for me, I liked the acting the most, mainly from Walken and Ricci, so I hope those two will work together on something else in the future.

I rate it 6.5/10.

When steely-eyed, shock-cropped Christopher Walken pumps his shotgun at the menacing bad guys, you know he means business. And that business, is a long, drawn out legal battle debating the legality of farming certain seeds. You may now sit back down.

In typical Canadian prairie fashion, "Percy" is more about wide landscapes, small community life, and a farmer's dedicated connection to the land, than inflammatory court room drama. Based on the true story of Saskatchewan Percy Schmeiser who wound up with Monsanto seed seeding itself on his land and then having the conglomerate giant bullying him into ruinous payment. Unyielding and stoic to a bankrupting fault, and against all sensible advice, Percy takes the case all the way to the Supreme Court.

As a juicy David vs Goliath fable, "Percy" moves at a snail's pace, generating it's lure through the perseverance and dogged determination of a man not necessarily pushing back, but standing defiantly in the way. As usual Walken is quite good, even in a calm, reserved role, one that doesn't require any shouting, gun play, or dancing. Who woulda thunk it?

A nice historic piece, "Percy" is not for everyone. But those happy to settle for an old school story that presents a cloudy subject in clear black and white, peppered with classic Canuck manners and pacing, will not be sorry.

• hipCRANK

Clark Johnson's 'Percy' offers a significantly simplified from the real story of the struggle of an independent Canadian farmer with corporate bullies and the legal system. Its telling is pretty straight-forward, but it's well-produced and well-told - and that's in large part to the high-quality performances of its cast.

Christopher walken has never been my favourite actor, he managed to mash that potato in ''the deer hunter'', but here he is acting out pretty freely, stubborn as usual, but also very content and extreme colourful acting. Its a based on a true story film, so the plot layout is already there, but the dynamics and caracterbuild up is good, cast works all over, and the filming is held in a colourful ambien glow all the way, beutiful scenic views, and gives a great insight how farming in the midwest is and has been, a fight from daybreak till dawn.

Having just devoured this stub of realistic stubborness, the grumpy old man gives an allmighty acclaim for the production crew and the actors with a strong 7.well told story and therefore a recommend.

Greetings again from the darkness. When one thinks of casting a farmer in a legal drama, surely Oscar winner Christopher Walken (THE DEER HUNTER, 1978) is not even on the first two pages of the casting director's list. However, lest we forget, a great actor will make a role their own, which is exactly what Mr. Walken does here. Director Clark Johnson (known mostly for his TV acting and directing) is working from a script by co-writers Garfield Lindsay Miller and Hillary Pryor, and it's based on the true story of Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser, who fought corporate giant Monsanto all the way to the Supreme Court.

Walken as Percy admits, "I save my seeds." If this were the story of canola seeds that some farmer saves each year for his crops, I'm guessing there would be little interest. But of course this is the story of one independent farmer standing up for the rights of all farmers against agricultural giant Monsanto. This is the age old story of "the little engine that could", or the high hopes of 'the little old ant who thought he could move the rubber tree plant.' Percy and his wife Louise (Roberta Maxwell) are grounded folks - he mostly keeps to himself, and she is known locally for her pie-baking expertise. These are good folks who are working the same land that's been passed down for generations in his family.

The lives of Saskatchewan farmers Percy and Louise get rocked when, in 1998, Monsanto sues them for the presence of a patented formula in Percy's canola crop. He's no dummy, and Percy knows that he has always carefully collected his own seeds each season ... just as his father taught him. He's also a fighter, so Percy enlists local attorney Jackson Weaver (Zach Braff) to handle the case against a sea of Monsanto white man attorneys (yet another battle pitting a little guy against big money). Overly enthusiastic environmental activist Rebecca Salcau (Christina Ricci) offers help to Percy from her organization, and this leads to multiple speaking engagements for him as he literally travels around the world. Their objectives are different - Rebecca wants safe crops (not sprayed with harmful chemicals), while Percy wants independence to farm. Monsanto is there to protect their patented process that increases yields and profits.

There is a 2009 documentary that focuses on Percy Schmeiser, but I have no idea where to find it. The story is fascinating, as it involves unusual characters and the safety of food crops. Supporting work is provided by Luke Kirby and Martin Donovan, though neither are given much to work with. The joy here is in watching Christopher Walken dig in to a role that demands much from him. It's far removed from the caricatures he often plays these days. Veteran Cinematographer Luc Montpellier (CAIRO TIME, 2009) is stuck in the courtroom a bit too much, but when the camera heads outside, he does his best work. Percy died in October 2020 at the age of 89, and director Johnson includes a photo of Percy and Louise over the closing credits. He was quite a little engine that could ... and did.

In Select Theaters, on Digital and On Demand April 30.

In 1998, Percy Schmeiser (Christopher Walken) is a cantankerous canola farmer in rural Saskatchewan. He receives a letter from Monsanto demanding $19k for using their crop genes. It's the groundbreaking legal battle between a single farmer and a global conglomerate. Jackson Weaver (Zach Braff) is his small town lawyer. Rebecca Salcau (Christina Ricci) is an environmental advocate eager to join the case.

This is very much the standard underdog story. The movie should center around Percy and Jackson. Rebecca does muscle into the second lead position and that is problematic. I can understand the movie writing an environmentalist in that way. It may even be very true to the reality. It would be better to make her less prominent. There is also the problem of Monsanto as the villain. It has no face and the movie generates no actual character doing the villainy. In the end, this important little-known story has a simple compelling lead hero and that's good.

Yep whole point of the movie is good against evil....rich against the hard working family and when you stand up against A Holes then you know you're in for the long haul.

Percy Vs Goliath tells the true tale of a Canadian farmer who duels with Big Business after genetically-modified crops disrupt his pastoral life. Seed cultivation is this farmer's lifeblood. When storm clouds arrive in the opening scene - during church, setting up a helluva metaphorical forecast - the farm is the only salvation he wishes to preserve. Later, once Percy picks up his sling as he prepares for battle, the future of farming becomes his ministry.

Unlike the holy crusade in Erin Brockovich, or the desire for truth as shown in The Insider, Percy is not looking to become a mythical spokesperson. He simply wants to farm. Yet, similar to David in his biblical battle, he finds himself anointed.

Percy Vs Goliath is a simple story told in a big way, yet remains fully grounded as an underdog story with its eventual victory firmly planted in the earth.

This polite Canadian movie seeks to elicit the beating heart of the good, everyman. Humble at times. Eye-opening when required. Clark Johnson works to elevate the movie with a classic indie feel. Tight, contemplative moments in dark, dusty barns are coupled with the bright, sweeping landscapes of Manitoba and Mumbai. Percy has an elegant, polished feel.

Christopher Walken gives a fine Walken-ian performance. Surprisingly, Walken has truly embraced the role of the elder statesman. He becomes a grandpa with his subdued flannel and an old man belly and it is good.

Walken, along with Johnson and writers Garfield Miller and Hilary Pryor, plant Schmeiser's role as a reluctant hero. He is a quiet man and when he does speak, such sentiments come from his heart. His speeches come naturally as does his comfort with his wife (Roberta Maxwell), his apprehension with Rebecca, all the while dealing with his quirky lawyer (Zach Braff, channelling his best Ray Romano).

As nice as the movie looks, and as refreshingly positive as the story becomes, there is not enough meat to make this a fully satisfying meal.

The kind of movie you would watch on a sunday afternoon. There's nothing remotely remarkable about it.

The plot is not all that interesting to begin with, but it gets even worse because the movie tries to link it with unrelated environmental issues, and in doing so it ends up not explaining any of the topics well enough for the viewer to care (or to even understand).

To top it off, dialogue is mediocre at best. Key speeches, which should be emotional, or insightful, convey nothing.

There are some good performances, some good country music and some beautiful landscape shots, none of which is, of course, enought to save the movie.

5.0 it's a fair score. It's not an awful movie, just average. I won't recommend it.

Being from Saskatoon just west of Bruno Sask. I remember this story well and think this man is more than a local hero he's an international hero. To stand up against a major Goliath of a corporation as he did took more guts than most people have .I have family who farm in Sask. And Ab. And one who runs a minor seed and feed company West of Saskatoon and the outcome of this case impacted them as well .He to me should be held in the highest regard alongside. Erin Brockovich and others who stood up for what is right but because this was a story that took place in Canada rather than the U. S. A. It is not as well known. Erin Brockovich Stands up against giants but does not have a dog in the fight as Percy did and had a lot more press coverage to feed a larger group. So for a small time Farmer and community he is the gIant.

Its ok, Christopher Walken is great as always, but it drags on a little and is a bit repetitive.

The other downside is that the film is predictable, not so much because its based on a true story, but because this kind of film only works for audiences if it ticks the right boxes. Goliath usually doesn't fare so well in this kind of film.

In 2020's bland true-tale drama "Percy Vs Goliath" (aka "Percy") Christopher Walken (always terrific) is a hard-working independent Canadian farmer onto whose land blows genetically modified seed... whose huge patent owning company then sues him for re-planting next-gen seed from it, which blitzes his business & reputation... til he fights back (with wife Roberta Maxwell, lawyer Zach Braff & pushy environmentalist Christina Ricci). It's well performed all round (props to director Clark Johnson) if rather simplistically & superficially written (by Garfield Lindsey Miller & Hilary Pryor). While just about watchable it's far from best in this well-populated genre.

This is a very satisfying film to watch, because justice can prevail.

IN A NUTSHELL: I used to use gallons of Round-Up on my 2-acre yard when I lived in Georgia. It did a great job killing weeds and now we're learning that it also kills humans with cancer. This dramatic movie is based on the true story about a Canadian farmer who battled Monsanto all the way to the Supreme Court in Canada about their pesticide-laden, Genetically Modified seeds.

Percy Vs Goliath tells the true underdog story of a small-town farmer who, in 1998, challenged a major crop conglomerate after being accused of using the company's genetically modified product. Despite having little-to-no money to fight the legal battle, Percy Schmeiser became a folk hero among similar disenfranchised farms who were all fighting similar battles around the world. If you're getting really tired of big corporations and big governments bullying the Everyday Man, you'll find this dramatic telling to be interesting and educational.

THINGS I LIKED: This movie's title is a nod to the 2009 documentary David vs Monsanto.

There is something truly magnetic about Christopher Walken, no matter what role he plays. In this movie, he's a third-generation canola farmer and the salt of the earth. He's a believable "little guy", trying to fight "Goliath", the ballsy Monsanto company that sues him for a TON of money over sketchy claims. In real life, Percy Schmeiser was actually pretty successful and even owned a gas station and a farm equipment dealership before Monstanto became the local bully. Still, Percy was somewhat shy and didn't seek the limelight. Walken shows restraint and respect to the real man and doesn't overdo the sentimentality of his role.

I've adored Zach Braff ever since he starred in the goofy medical sitcom Scrubs - The Complete First Season. He plays a much different character in this film and does a great job as an inexperienced attorney who walks with a cane. We never learn about his physical ailments, but we see his heart.

There's a lovely soundtrack that provides a folksy background to the story about this agricultural region of Canada.

I always love getting to travel in the movies. It was fascinating and sad to learn about all of the suicides in India due to similar lawsuits in that country. I also loved that the movie showed the connection farmers have, no matter what country they live in. Their struggles to put food on our tables is real and honorable.

We get to see some beautiful, widescreen compositions that feature the farmland in Canada and India.

The movie does a very good job pointing out the scary truth of how agribusiness and greedy corporations can easily control our delicate food supply. It just might make viewers think twice about the food they're putting in their mouths.

You get to see pictures of the real Percy Schmeiser and his wife at the end of the movie, as well as learn a little bit more about them through some text on the screen.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Overall, the movie is good, just not as good as you want it to be. It somehow misses the mark of being full-blown epic. It falls FAR short of the movie Erin Brockovich. In fact, there is a little Erin Brockovich moment like when Julia Roberts' character offers contaminated water to the lawyers. In that movie, it was powerful. In this movie, it just felt like a copy-cat effort.

Despite the heated topic, the movie doesn't pack the emotional punch it should.

The son is a constant, frowning rain cloud. His wife is always a happy giggler. Their daughter, however, is adorable and represents the hope of farming in the future.

Some of the writing and editing felt weak.

There isn't much humor.

Rebecca's activist motivations feel mixed and forced at times.

Percy's wife, Louise, played by Roberta Maxwell vacillates between being supportive and preventing Percy from fighting the good fight. At times, she appears to be a loving, equal partner, while other times she feels like a submissive mouse of a wife. Roberta Maxwell is actually an award-winning stage actress.

Some of the courtroom scenes are a bit dull and lifeless.

One important point that seems to be missing from the movie is the fact that Roundup is extremely toxic and has now been linked to cancer. Just last month, I received a letter in the mail, inviting me to jump on a class-action suit against Roundup if I had experienced negative health effects from it.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Kids will be extremely bored.

A man pees on a sign.

l!

Percy vs goliath, just called "percy" in some countries. A canadian farmer (walken) takes a giant seed company to court when they have somehow tainted his own crops with their roundup protected product. So he hires weaver (zach braff) to help defend himself against the conglomerate. Christina ricci is rebecca, a pushy rep from a non profit group. She's more concerned with just taking on the big chemical companies to stop gmo products in any form. So percy goes on a tour to raise money to try to fight the big guys. There's a wikipedia dot org page on this actual case, for anyone wanting to read more on this story. It's okay. A bit dry. Directed by clark johnson, currently showing on roku.

Great cast solid actors world wide. For a little Canadian movie, all production put together, hope picks up few more eyeballs. You see at start of movie how many. True Story, I guess everyone is connecting to USA Erin Brockovich.

It's good to see the usually difficult to like Christopher Walken taking a role that shows he can be more human. Here he drops most of his intensely bullish traits to bring life to a man of the earth and does so quite well. With a string of movies about corporate greed or corruption this one can't bring all that much new to the genre (after all, it is a genre) I have not seen the documentary about this case but it felt like this production was at least attempting to bring a documentary style to this telling.

While there are serious doubts surrounding the ethics of so-called not for profit activists groups, who too often tend to be more in line with political manipulation than the good of mankind, Christina Ricci injects her group member's character with a reasonable amount of believability.

The rest of the cast work hard to create a pleasing outcome and while it's a slow-moving story it's filled with hope, that at times, right can defeat might - even if not all the outcomes are as desired. Production values are high with locations being well used - this is good of its type even though some of the truth might be fiddled somewhat.

I recently watched Percy vs. Goliath (2020) on Tubi. The storyline follows a generational farmer whose family has specialized in seeds for decades, passing on their knowledge to future generations. When a large seeding organization sues the farmer for allegedly using their seeds illegally, he puts his family history, farm, and reputation on the line to face them.

Directed by Clark Johnson (SWAT) and starring Christopher Walken (Deer Hunter), Roberta Maxwell (Popeye), Christina Ricci (Mermaids), Zach Braff (Garden State), and Adam Beach (Windtalkers).

This film delivers a well-crafted storyline from multiple angles. Christopher Walken authentically portrays a character dealing with realistic circumstances. Braff and Ricci offer great supportive performances as the lawyer and activist, while Maxwell perfectly embodies the role of the wife/referee. The film effectively depicts the strength and backbone of the common man, across multiple cultures, and features interesting twists, turns, and a heartfelt conclusion.

In conclusion, Percy vs. Goliath is an entertaining drama with characters that are easy to root for in the face of unfortunate circumstances. I would score this a solid 6.5-7/10 and recommend seeing it once.

A typical kind of legal story, done previously and better many times before - just check out the likes of ERIN BROKOVICH, DARK WATERS etc. This one has an aged Christopher Walken going for it and he's full of his usual character, but the true story format is familiar and it all feels more than a little subdued. Very much a TV movie in style, I'm afraid.

We continue to see this same theme over and over, corporations, with their legal army, political influence and unlimited resources , continuing to obliterate the working man. Our countries have become oligarchies, our politicians catering to lobbyists and big business. Not only was this an entertaining and well-acted movie, it helps to shed light on the bigger picture. If individuals don't fight back, at some point the option will no longer be available.

Percy is a 2020 biographical drama that tells the story of Percy Schmeiser, a farmer who fought against the biotechnology corporation Monsanto over the issue of genetically modified seeds. The film presents a compelling and inspiring narrative of Schmeiser's battle against a powerful and wealthy opponent.

One of the strongest aspects of the movie is its exploration of the ethical and legal issues surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The film makes a strong case against the practices of Monsanto and the agricultural industry as a whole, highlighting the dangers of a system that prioritizes profits over people and the environment.

The film also does an excellent job of portraying the complex and emotional struggles that Percy Schmeiser faced during his legal battle with Monsanto. His determination and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds are truly inspiring, and the film captures this well.

However, some critics have argued that the film takes a somewhat one-sided view of the issue, presenting Monsanto as an entirely villainous entity and failing to acknowledge some of the potential benefits of genetic engineering in agriculture. While there is certainly a case to be made for the potential benefits of GMOs, the film's focus on Schmeiser's story means that it necessarily prioritizes his perspective over others.

Overall, Percy is a well-made and engaging film that offers a powerful critique of the agricultural industry and the practices of biotechnology corporations like Monsanto. While it may not present a balanced view of the issue, it is a thought-provoking and inspiring story that is well worth watching for anyone interested in the intersection of agriculture, ethics, and the environment.

Down to Monsanto.