Review of Meek's Cutoff (2011) by Tara A — 24 Sep 2011

I'm the type of film buff who is always looking to strech myself as far as watching the conventional type stuff. This is one I was really excited about because Kelly Reichardt is everything those ideals are about.

I loved her collaboration with Michelle Williams a couple of years ago with Wendy and Lucy and was excited about their reunion film, Meek's Cutoff. To be honest, it was a hard watch; it's a trial - but that's the point.

As the film moves on, and the characters continue on their slow and arduous trail, Reichardt is shaping all of her characters so finely, showing how they all mesh and don't mesh together in this, their ordeal.

It's a typical character study, but it's done in a strikingly different way. Some have said this is an opaque political statement, and considering the time, the place, the historical cirumcstances, the Indian character, not to mention a vague quality that could be a statment on America as a whole, I definitely see edges of that.

But, there is nothing definitive in this, and that really makes it even stronger - the more pointed, the less depth it would actually have. The ending is a very frustrating one, but also kind of beautiful in its open way.

I would love a second viewing to get my mind around that more.