All of the harassment depicted in the movie really happened to various women. Two women were trapped in porta-potties that were tipped while they were inside. Miners ejaculated onto female miner's clothes in lockers three times. Many more incidents of harassment occurred than could be shown in a 2-hour movie.
Actor Bill Nighy stated during a Q&A session at the British Film Institute in London in 2010 that in his opinion he regards Richard Jenkins' performance in this film as one of the finest in motion picture history.
When Josey fills her truck with gas near the start of the film, the sign behind her shows a price of $1.71 per gallon. In winter 1989, US gas prices were $.90-$1 per gallon. According to the US Department of Energy, Minnesota gas prices did not reach that level until April 2001, and not again until April 2004.
When Bill White is at the bar the first time, from one angle he appears to be drinking Leineinkugel's Honey Weiss beer. When they change angles, he is drinking some other brand. When they go back to the first angle, he's again drinking Leineinkugel's.
After Josey moves out of the house, she checks into a motel. A Hypercom T7P integrated credit card terminal is on the counter behind the front desk. That terminal first appeared in the early 1990s.
Hank Aimes: My name is Hank Aimes and I've been a miner all my life. And I've never been ashamed of it until now. You know when we take our wives and daughters to the company barbecue, I don't hear any of them calling them those names like bitches and whores and worse. I don't see anyone grab them by their privates or drawing pictures of them on the bathroom walls, it's unspeakable. Unspeakable! So what's changed? She's still my daughter! It's a heck of a thing, to watch one of your own get treated that way. You're all supposed to be my friends, my brothers. Well, right now I don't have a friend in this room. In fact the only one I'm not ashamed of is my daughter.