Review of Old Joy (2006) by Michael K — 01 Aug 2010

This is a real grower. I watched this one night a few months ago and loved it without really being able to put my finger on what it was so I decided to watch it again recently. It was even better the second time around as was able to drift in and out of the film and reflect upon its meditation on friendship.

Reichardt gives time to the beauty of the northwestern America environment adding a real Generation X feel to a narrative that's as common as the trees that surround the two friends. It is Reichardt's direction though which creates the slow internalised feel of the film and it is slow.

Nothing much happens, little is said and she allows you to glide gently into the characters and relive their thoughts and emotions as if you are right there. Brilliant.