Meek’s Cutoff

This review will be short and sweet.  “Meek’s Cutoff” is a Western film from 2010 that has no cowboys, no shootouts, or any of the other stereotypical Western-drama events.  Instead, it tells the story of a group of pioneers travelling by horse, wagon and foot to Oregon.  This particular group splintered off, apparently before the film began, from a larger group and are now lost, thanks to Meek (an almost unrecognizable Bruce Greenwood, under layers of hair and beard) — a rogue-ish adventurer-type, prone to exaggerations and tall tales — whom they hired to guide them.

Other familiar faces here include Michelle Williams (“Wendy and Lucy,” “Blue Valentine”) — she is the nominal lead here — Paul Dano (“Little Miss Sunshine,” “There Will Be Blood”), and Shirley Henderson (the Harry Potter series — what the hell is she doing here, aside from a pretty good American accent?) .

Kelly Reichardt directed.  She also directed “Wendy and Lucy,” the aforementioned Michelle Williams film, as well as “Old Joy” — a film I know some of you enjoyed.

I believe the Tacoma Film Club will love this film.  Why?  Because I hated it!  It’s slow moving — only two things of any significance happen in the entire film — and the ending is annoyingly ambiguous.  In other words, right up the TFC alley!