"Meek's Cutoff," Kelly Reichardt's articulate new film, is technically a Western, though it is nothing like the ones people are accustomed to seeing. The film has little in common with the cowboy pictures John Wayne and Clint Eastwood used to star in. Instead, it is actually more like Reichardt's last film, "Wendy and Lucy" (2006), in that it is a fascinating, minimalist character study of wondering and desperate individuals.
Set during the Westward Expansion, the film centers on two families that lose their way while heading toward the unsettled western frontier. These pioneers must face the consequences of being lost in unknown territories as their water, food and sanity quickly run out.
Led by Meek (Bruce Greenwood), a charismatic though disheveled figure, the settlers delicately shift and learn more about themselves as they endure crises. Their group dynamic takes the biggest hit when the settlers stumble upon The Cayuse (Rod Rondeaux), a Native American whom Meek wants to kill, although the others are more hesitant. Some members of the group wants to keep him alive, believing he might have the skills to find water and food; others refuse to think of a Native American as more knowledgeable than a Caucasian.
Michelle Williams shows impressive range as Emily, one of the most outspoken opponents of Meek's leadership. She asks, "Is Meek ignorant or just evil?" with just enough contempt to let it be known that she has a deep−seeded problem with the way Meek conducts himself and how he leads the group. Meek is loquacious and charming, while Emily is more of a silent, workhorse type. It is simultaneously easy to see why she would not be the leader of the group and also why she should be.
Reichardt is smart, though, not to make the characters too easily categorized into "good" and "evil." The pioneers who don't want to kill The Cayuse make their decision because they think he can help them survive, not because they are against a senseless murder. They are not much kinder than Meek, just more opportunistic.
Despite the seemingly exciting plot, this film is truly one for the art houses. It consists mainly of long sections that are entirely devoid of speech and other footage of pioneers simply traveling across vast landscapes. The pacing is deliberate and hypnotizing and Reichardt has the ability to find the rhythm in the settlers' mundane movements in an artful fashion.
While, on a broader level, it would appear as if little is happening, the subtle details suggest the struggle these settlers face against an unmoving and harsh opponent: nature. There is always a brutal sun beating down on them, acting as a constant reminder that they are embarking on an unwinnable fight against something much larger than themselves.
The environment is more than a little cruel to these settlers. When their water starts to run dangerously low and one of the young children stumbles upon gold, no one is that excited. As Emily mumbles, "You can't drink gold." The precious metal is worthless to them as they struggle to meet even their basic needs far away from civilization.
The cinematography perfectly captures the hopelessness of the situation, as the large hills and huge stretches of empty land that still lies ahead of the travelers are constantly in the frame. This lets the viewer know that survival will be no easy task and that it may only get worse as they go farther and farther along. Williams and the entire cast put on a stolid toughness as they trudge along, that becomes admirable as they refuse to give up.
Near the end of the film, Meek declares, "We were all just playing our parts, this was written long before we got here." This kind of fatalistic moment adds to the growing tension that always seems to be bubbling under the surface. It also makes it apparent that this struggle is not one unique to this group of people — thousands of people faced a similar battle as they settled and conquered the western frontier. "Meek's Cutoff" is a complex film that, with its skillful performances and stunning landscapes, challenges the way many will view the Western genre and the Westward Expansion in general.
