From my Freelance work with Show Business Weekly, check out my first film review:

Wendy and Lucy

Directed by Kelly Reichardt

Throughout the film “Wendy and Lucy,” trains come and go. At first, the trains seem to blend in with the industrial Oregon setting; however, as the story progresses, the monotonous, incessant trains exacerbate the isolation of the main character Wendy Carroll, played by Michelle Williams. Regardless of Wendy’s pain and frustration, the trains continue on their journeys, seeming to flaunt their ability to come and go while the title character finds herself stuck in an ever deepening set of unfortunate circumstances.

This somber tale, based on Jon Raymond’s short story “Train Choir,” follows Wendy as she travels to Alaska with her dog Lucy to find work at the Northwestern Fish Cannery. The two find themselves stuck in a small Oregon town when Wendy’s car breaks down. Facing a dwindling financial situation, Wendy falls deeper into trouble as she struggles to make ends meet. Along the way, the young woman faces a number of complicated circumstances, and ultimately makes a heart-wrenching decision that dramatically changes the course of her journey.

The film skillfully captures Wendy’s grim reality with a combination of simple set elements, a dull color palate, sparse dialogue and a nearly empty soundtrack. While the minimalistic background emphasizes the story’s dreariness, it also undermines the significance of Wendy’s situation — almost to a maddening degree. It seems unfair that in the midst of the protagonist’s chronic misfortune, the world continues to go about its usual business without any acknowledgement of Wendy’s troubles. The film’s austerity is further underscored by Michelle Williams’ compelling performance. Williams maintains an understated acting style that adds to the tension of her character’s dire situation. The actress communicates Wendy’s frustration while maintaining an air of ambiguity so that we never quite know the depths of Wendy’s suffering. The narrative hints at a troubled past, but never fully reveals the protagonist’s background or her reasons for wanting to escape to Alaska. This ambiguity suggests a universality to Wendy’s story, and invites us to stop our incessant comings and goings for a moment to consider the struggles of others.