Kelly Reichardt uses the genre against itself: the setting - provided with all the genre-typical ingredients - is easily explained. three families of settlers and their scout Meeks (based on a historically verifiable figure), who speaks in favor of the legendary Oregon Trail an abbreviation leave are on the way to the west. However, settings at the first is clear, Reichardt it's certainly not a possible dramatic presentation of the painful everyday settlers: the camera patiently follows the crossing of a river, a team of oxen after the other, behind the women on the head, transporting fragile items carefully. is at the other shore collected wood, water resources are filled, the adolescent boy scratches in an old weathered tree trunk the word lost.
which basically everything is explained. It is reichardt the presentation of this lost one - and the impact on this common destiny: after a few days without water, the settlers anxious - to the capabilities of the scouts are logged doubt. then even as an Indian shows up, the meeks captures with a settlers, differ on how to proceed with him, Meeks wants to kill him immediately, the settlers rely on its local knowledge and can lead him on. however, the fear that the Indians could lead to an ambush, always present. what the psychological film is a structural crisis: the women at the beginning of the film are some steps fro behind the venture, which - if the men advise on further action - wait in the background and ask themselves to decide what will be tone - in the literal sense to take the reins ...
in this new world, because - not where a gold fund in view of existing water-nothing matters must be reconsidered old power structures, Authorities questioned and loyalties are redefined. Reichardt delivers a dense, very gently stretch over long incredibly quiet portrait of these survive in the absolute barrenness around the struggling company.
