Meek’s Cutoff
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“Well, we made our decision. This is all gonna be a bad dream soon. It's gonna be a story to tell”
Overview
Set in 1845 and loosely based on an incident on the Oregon Trail, Meek's Cutoff is an epic Western from Kelly Reichardt (The Mastermind, Night Moves). Gruff, rugged frontier guide Stephen Meek (Bruce Greenwood) leads a wagon trail through the Oregon desert. Three families make up the troupe who have no choice but to blithely follow Meek who promises he knows a shortcut, but seems to be leading them only to dry rock and sage. Tensions begin to run high as water becomes scarce and faith in the guide and each other grows murky. When their path crosses with a Native American (their historical enemy), a new direction suddenly becomes an option.
Why You Should See This Film
Whereas most westerns happen at break-neck speed, Reichardt, collaborating again with writer Jonathan Raymond, employs a similarly measured pace as to her previous films Wendy and Lucy and the beautiful (and particularly slow) Old Joy. Here, the grimness of frontier life feels real and untamed, full of fear and unknown futures. It is also remarkably beautiful; a film that is best seen in a cinema with an audience on the same journey. The cast too is impeccable, featuring Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Bruce Greenwood, Shirley Henderson and Zoe Kazan.
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