Kelly Reichart's film career is a rather brief one, but she has a lovely view from the director's chair. Her "Wendy and Lucy" a few years ago, was a rich, sensitive story about two women struggling to survive. "Meek's Cutoff," scheduled to open today, is a Western, but certainly not a traditional Western, and while it certainly gets tedious, I'm certain that tedium was a powerful enemy to the settlers.
Unfortunately, tedium rapidly reduces the entertainment factor in movies.
Jon Raymond's screenplay follows three Conestoga wagons across the Wild West in 1845, some 25-30 years before the time of the action in most Westerns. The Gold Rush was yet to occur, most long arms still were muzzle-loaders. There's a husband and wife in each wagon, a 12-year-old boy in one. Stephen Meek (an excellent Bruce Greenwood) is their guide, a tough-talking know-it-all who soon seems to be beyond the boundaries of his knowledge. The splendid Michelle Williams and Will Patton are Emily and Solomon Tetherow; Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano are Millie and Thomas Gately; Shirley Henderson, Neal Huff and Tommy Nelson are Glory and William White and their son, Tommy.
The acting is first-rate throughout, and Reichart's focus often is on the women, far more than in most Westerns. Williams is especially strong, leading the women out of the shadow of all-male decision-making. She's terrific.
Then they discover they're being followed by an Indian and they capture Rod Rondeaux, strong and silent. Of course he does not speak or undeerstand English, no matter how loudly they yell, but they soon realize that only he can lead them to water or out of the terrible place where Meek has led them. We're traveling through real badlands, uncharted territory, and while it does get tedious, it's also a fascinating film.
Meek's Cutoff opens today
—Joe