Review of Meek's Cutoff (2011) by Pablo A — 30 Jun 2011

Kelly Reichardt is no stranger to stories about women who have fallen on hard times. Her last film, Wendy and Lucy (another collaboration with Michelle Williams), is about a young woman on a journey to (hopeful) prosperity who finds herself stranded along the way, unsure even of where her next meal might come from. Meekâ(TM)s Cutoff is a startlingly similar story, but Reichardt uses the wildly different setting (Oregon 1845), as well as an exploration of the role of women in the old West, to create a film that feels unique and authentic.

Meekâ(TM)s Cutoff is the story of 4 men and 3 women somewhere in the middle of the Oregon High Desert, headed west and seeking a better life. Their guide, Stephen Meek (played with just the right touch of scenery chewing by Bruce Greenwood), seems to have lost his way, and water starts to run low.

Meanwhile, the women are treated like second-class citizens, and are never included (nor do they expect to be) when it comes time to make decisions about what to do next. Itâ(TM)s this thread that Reichardt follows to its natural conclusion. At several points throughout the film, we see conversations between the men about what they will do next from the point of view of the women. The dialogue is barely hearable, and sometimes we do not hear the conversation at all, and are only later told about it once a decision has been made.

Itâ(TM)s this point of view that the film takes that makes it so interesting. Most films in the Western genre have been about the sheriff, the outlaw, or some other male role. When films of this genre do focus on women, they are typically of the âwhore with a heart of goldâ? variety. Rarely do we see regular women and the conditions of their lives during this time period. Reichardt is also clearly not satisfied just with noting these injustices against women, but also wants to see what happens when you start to tip the scales in the other direction.

The film is also commendable for its photography, capturing the breathtaking desert landscapes (filmed on location in Oregon) with one beautiful shot after another. Also, the design of the covered wagons added a great deal of realism that really helps drive home the desperate situation theyâ(TM)re in, reminding viewers that the real Oregon Trail is nowhere near as fun as the video game would lead you to believe (although I couldnâ(TM)t help but let out a bit of a giggle when one of the characters in the film mentions that they have a broken axle).

Meekâ(TM)s Cutoff may be set in the mid-19th century, but it came across to me as a very 21st century tale of womenâ(TM)s lib. Reichardt has really expanded her bag of tricks here, developing a visual style on par with any filmmaker today while remaining true to her earlier work with thoughtful, well-written character drama. Meekâ(TM)s Cutoff is as good as any film Iâ(TM)ve seen yet this year, and I highly recommend you check it out when you can.