Film: Wendy & Lucy
Director: Kelly Reichardt
Country: USA
Released: May 2008
Runtime: 80 minutes
Genre: Neorealism
Studio: Filmscience, Field Guide Films
Influenced: Greta Gerwig, Sean Baker, Debra Granik, Alex Ross Perry, Chloé Zhao
Thanks to her friendship with fellow director Todd Haynes, Kelly Reichardt met both writer Jon Raymond and producer Neil Kopp at a film festival in Seattle, and together the three would collaborate on several of Reichardt's films, starting in 2006 with Old Joy. Both that film and Wendy & Lucy were based on short stories in Raymond's collection, Livability, and both films also featured appearances from singer-songwriter Will Oldham. As a professor of film studies, Reichardt specialises in Italian neorealism and New German Cinema, while also citing Robert Bresson and Monte Hellman as inspirations, and in Wendy & Lucy you can see the influence of both neorealism and American road movies, mixed with the Slow Cinema tradition. Wendy & Lucy is set in America's post-Katrina landscape, at a time when it was clear that the bonds of community were fracturing across the country, and the film is about life on the margins for those without a safety net of the right education or the financial support of their parents.
Reichardt co-wrote the screenplay with Raymond, creating a story that explores themes of economic hardship, isolation and the abiding bond between humans and dogs. Wendy, played by Michelle Williams, is on her way to Alaska for a potential job, but experiences a series of setbacks, including car trouble and financial difficulties. Largely set in a small town in Oregon, the central narrative revolves around Wendy's desperate situation and her relationship with her dog, Lucy. Wendy's plight leads to her attempting to steal dog food for Lucy from a local store, but then calamity strikes when she is arrested for shoplifting. After Wendy is released later that day, Lucy has disappeared and, in her attempts to find her dog, she has to depend on the helpfulness of strangers. One of the few people who does come to her aid is a security guard, played by Wally Dalton, whose kindness makes for a rare moment of compassion in the movie. However, the mechanic, played by the charismatic Will Patton, is less inclined to offer her support.
From Old Yeller (1957) and Turner & Hooch (1989), to Lassie (1994) and Marley & Me (2008), films about the relationship between man and dog have been a constant theme in cinema, but Wendy & Lucy is more than a film about the relationship between a young woman with her faithful hound' it's also a complex meditation on American insecurity and loneliness. The film is shot in Reichardt's signature minimalist style, providing a realistic portrayal of life's struggles, while also avoiding any melodrama or sensationalism. Reichardt employs a slow and contemplative pace, allowing viewers to connect with the characters on a deeper emotional level. In the true tradition of neorealism, the film was shot during a relatively short time frame and on a shoestring budget of just $500,000, and Reichardt's extensive use of natural light and the environment of Portland adds to its sense of authenticity.
Wendy & Lucy received critical acclaim and several award nominations, including being in the running for the Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes in 2008. At the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards, Reichardt picked up the prize for Best Picture and Williams won Best Actress. The role of Wendy was originally offered to Michelle Pfeiffer, but she turned it down. One of the aspects of her performance that works well, in a movie without a soundtrack, is the tune Williams hums in certain scenes, a musical motif that she developed with Will Oldham. Her performance was even met with Oscars buzz, a considerable achievement given the small-scale nature of this independent film, which acted as a springboard for both Williams and Reichardt, who would collaborate again on various movies. Reichardt would also continue to work with Haynes as executive producer on Meek's Cutoff (2010), Night Moves (2013) and Certain Women (2016), showing her versatility as a director across several genres.
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