Meek's Cutoff

Kelly Reichardt's fourth feature (the third set in the Pacific Northwest) is a Western with a meditative feel. Riding the Oregon Trail in 1845, a covered-wagon caravan of families is led by slippery guide Stephen Meek (Bruce Greenwood), a braggart who's assured them he knows the territory well and will help them find a place to settle. The group includes Emily and Solomon Tetherow (Michelle Williams, Will Patton), Millie and Thomas Gately (Zoe Kazan, Paul Dano), and Glory and William White and their son, Jimmy (Shirley Henderson, Neal Huff, Tommy Nelson). As days pass and water remains elusive, Emily laments that Meek's “gotten in over his head,” but the guide insists that relief lies just around the next ridge. The bond continues to fray as the travelers' frustration with Meek increases as they realize they're hopelessly lost, and it unravels further when a Cayuse Indian (Rod Rondeaux) locks them in his sights. After Meek unsuccessfully attempts to coerce information from the native (who doesn't understand English), Emily tries to gain the man's trust by sharing food and mending his moccasin. But the man maintains his distance, leading to a showdown with an unexpected result. With its detail-oriented focus—from faded calico dresses to vast aquamarine skies—Meek's Cutoff offers a beautiful vision of harsh times. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “making-of” featurette (10 min.), an essay by writer and musician Richard Hell, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus DVD copy of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a fine film.] (K. Fennessy)