Old Joy

Dir. Kelly Reichardt. 2006, 76 mins. 35mm print courtesy of the Chicago Film Society. With Will Oldham, Daniel London, Tanya Smith. Old friends Mark (London) and Kurt (Oldham) take a trip together into the picturesque mountains of the American Northwest and find that they don’t have much in common anymore. This simple plot is the platform for an intimate exploration into, according to Reichardt, “the feeling of loss and alienation that everyone in my world seemed to be grappling with.” Reichardt’s first feature in over a decade was critically acclaimed and began a period of productivity that lasts until today. “A triumph of modesty and of seriousness that also happens to be one of the finest American films of the year.” Manohla Dargis, The New York Times.