Meek's Cutoff (2011)
Directed by Kelly Reichardt
Starring Bruce Greenwood (Mao's Last Dancer; John from Cincinnati); Michele Williams (Blue Valentine); Will Patton; Shirley Henderson (Topsy-Turvy); Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood); Zoe Kazan (Me & Orson Welles)
To inaugurate a new year of movie-reviewing (a tad belatedly, but all I missed was the dreck of another Hollywood summer!), I have chosen this beautiful, thought-provoking film. The synopsis is provided by IMDB: "Settlers traveling through the Oregon desert in 1845 find themselves stranded in harsh conditions." That's the whole movie, right there; but to call it dull & boring misses the mark entirely. Crossing the Oregon Trail was rough! Hot, dangerous, and risky (without a capable guide), the film doesn't sugar-coat their travails (with fresh clothing, clean hair, and all the other accoutrements of a studio-produced film).
From the stunning cinematography and sound effects (the monotonous creak of the wagon wheels, for instance) to the many wordless scenes of the settlers walking through this barren landscape -- I had no idea Oregon had a desert! -- every detail adds to the group's growing sense of desperation. We have to experience that to appreciate not only their predicament, but to understand the 'leap of faith' one character takes that will decide their fate.
I was never a fan of director Kelly Reichardt before (after only seeing one of her previous two films, "Wendy & Lucy," also starring Michele Williams). Perhaps I had to sit through her previous film to appreciate her storytelling rhythms--patient, leisurely, with the silences conveying a character's feelings as much as dialogue (Michele Williams' talents are perfectly-suited to this director, as Wendy was in rather desperate circumstances, too). Bruce Greenwood does a fine job in the only role with any "meat" to it (I'd say bordering on ham, but only because all the other roles are fittingly under-played). Reichardt made a wise choice this time in using only professional actors (I think) in her small cast of nine. I suspect she used some non-pros in Wendy, and the movie suffered for it. The musical soundtrack was also well done: spare, yet edgy.
To those who may feel cheated by the ending-- and I count myself firmly NOT in their company (it was the perfect ending) -- two pieces of advice:
It's not the destination but the journey.
It's an 'art house' movie, what did you expect??
