Review of Wendy and Lucy (2008) by Miedy B — 11 Sep 2009

The best new movie of 2009 has arrived. And it?s Wendy and Lucy.

Usually I like to recommend the great movies that I watch. Not for this one, though. I know this is not the kind of movie that would be enjoyable to everyone, especially the one that getting used with mainstream thing.

I am not saying that mainstream movies fans are ?dumb? or having bad taste. Before I continue, I must add, that I also a fan of mainstream movies. However, I also like things that aren?t in that category. Basically, I like good stories regardless of the genre.

Okay. Let?s started.

Why I like this movie a lot? Wait. I love this movie. I love it too much I?ve watched it twice. First, I admit I watched this movie not in quite ?right? way. For fun, I searched if I could watch the movie for free on the internet. I was quite shocked that I FOUND it.

I watched it and loved it. However, I felt so guilty that I didn?t have to pay a dime for this brilliant movie which apparently was not produced by big budget movie company. So, few days later I decided to make an amend by go to real theater, buy the ticket and enjoy the movie again.

Wendy and Lucy is a story about young woman and her dog. Wendy is the woman, Lucy is the dog. Apparently, they?re on the way to Alaska when they decided to make a stop in Oregon. They don?t stay in the hotel. They sleep in their car, just like that night when she parked her car in the store parking lot and spend the night there.

She woke up the next day by Lucy?s barking and the knock on her window. It?s the security guard of the store. He told them that they can?t sleep there. Wendy started the car but it won?t work. With the help of the security, they moved the car outside the parking lot.

Having only limited money started leading money to her first mistake, at least the one that portrayed in the movie. Maybe she has made lots of mistakes in the past that lead her here. We don?t know. It never explain what was she like in the past or why her sister seemed so cold when she talked to her on the phone.

The only thing we knew, she wants a new start. For Wendy, Alaska seemed like the perfect destination for her and Lucy.

Her first mistake in the movie where she decided to ?steal? something from the store. She got caught and held for hours at the local police station. At that time, she had to leave Lucy tied up in front of the store. When she comes back, Lucy has gone.

What happen next is how Wendy trying to find Lucy, her only friend. That?s how the whole movie about. The woman looking for her dog. That?s it.

Then why I like the movie so much? because it?s so real. The kudos goes to Michelle Williams. She really transform herself into her character. She is Wendy. She is real. She is one of the most human I?ve seen on movies.

Watching this movie is like watching the documentary. You can see how they use the camera angles. So simple because all they do is following Michelle Williams, or in other word, trying to see the world in Wendy?s point of view. Only that her point of view, again, are just so real.

Even though it has several supported actors, but it?s mainly Williams solo performance that carry this movie brilliantly. For a little, she reminds me of Tom Hanks?s one man performance on Cast Away, although again I must said, that this one is even close to reality. By living in US for some times, it seemed that her situation could happen to anyone.

So, why won?t I recommend this to anyone. Because I know many people actually go seeing movie to be entertainment, to see amazing thing that probably never happen in real life. Watching a woman looking for her lost dog doesn?t seemed that interesting enough. Plus many of the scene were slow and for some people it?ll probably too hard to handle.

Unless? if she got molested or robbed, then there will be dramatic scene. Sorry to disappoint you but that?s not happening either.

I am glad though that the director decide not to take that dramatic turns only to make it more watchable to mainstream. I like they decide to stay real. I like they confident to take that risk. Instead of trying to pleasure the public, they decided to be more idealistic.

The result is I AM SO ENJOYING IT.

I was upset though that Williams didn?t make the Oscar nom. I was so sure that she will at least got nominated. The good news is now I am officially Michelle Williams fan. Can?t wait to see more of her in the future.