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MEEK'S CUTOFFMovie Reviews
Period drama about a group of families traveling by covered wagon across the Oregon Trail in 1845, who lose their way after allowing a braggart wilderness guide to lead them. Cast:Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Will Patton, Zoe Kazan, Paul DanoDirector:Kelly ReichardtRelease Date:April 8, 2011DVD Release:September 13, 2011From:OscilloscopeRating:PGLength:1 hr 44 min
Meek's Cutoff played in key cities to outstanding reviews. • Stephanie Zacharek wrote for Movieline, "...an ambitious feat of visual storytelling that’s alive to both its landscape and the actors who people it.... a big movie masquerading as a small one..." • And Steven Rea wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer, "...beautifully observed, determinedly poky..." More Reviews Below...
Mary Pols, Time: OUTSTANDING "...resonates afterward with such insistence that I felt positively nagged by it.... The mood takes over so thoroughly that I half-expected to have a sunburn at the end."(See all of Mary Pols's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 819 words, 04/08/11
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Director Kelly Reichardt immerses us in a mesmerizing world, full of vivid and merciless detail, and the feeling of isolation she leaves us with is haunting."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 595 words, 04/21/11
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a tough and sparely beautiful neo-Western... Under Oregon skies, there's political subtext for the taking in this terrific, unsettling film."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 228 words, 04/15/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the first film I've seen that evokes what must have been the reality of wagon trains to the West.... grueling, dirty, thirsty, burning and freezing ordeals."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,001 words, 05/13/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...a tough, quiet revelation of a movie... a bracingly original foray into territory that remains, in every sense, unsettled."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,092 words, 04/08/11
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the sort of film that will inspire grad students to write passionate thesis papers -- and casual moviegoers to feel as lost as Kelly Reichardt's would-be settlers."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 130 words, 04/08/11
V.A. Musetto, New York Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...confirms Kelly Reichardt as one of America's leading indie directors.... She, like the film's hearty pioneers, follows her own drummer."(See all of V.A. Musetto's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 358 words, 04/08/11
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...you could call it a feminist western, though that label suggests an anachronistically righteous revision of history, rather than the evocative reframing Reichardt achieves."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 524 words, 05/13/11
John Anderson, New York Newsday: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a universe of Old Masters lighting, arid landscapes and cold indifference. You can see why Reichardt's characters cling to their Bibles."(See all of John Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 276 words, 04/29/11
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: MODERATE "...utterly conventional.... But it's worth asking whether Reichardt's drowsy rhythms, stripped-down scenario, and female vantage add up to something illuminating."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 383 words, 04/11/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the first film I've seen that evokes what must have been the reality of wagon trains to the West.... grueling, dirty, thirsty, burning and freezing ordeals."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,001 words, 05/13/11
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD(cg) "Writer Jon Raymond chooses an enigmatic ending and a strange declaration from Meek to close the film... about the journey and the struggle, not the destination."(See all of Linda Barnard's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 621 words, 05/13/11
Rick Groen, Toronto Globe & Mail: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...ponderously slow in pace yet kinetically charged with insight; starkly realistic yet allegorical too; psychologically astute yet politically resonant."(See all of Rick Groen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 753 words, 05/13/11
J. Hoberman, LA Weekly: GOOD "...suggestively allegorical, discreetly trippy... For all its detailed authenticity, this minimalist 'Wagon Train' is less naturalistic than existential."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 565 words, 04/21/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...one of the finest American films of the year, and one that's going to infuriate as many people as it enthralls. That doesn't matter, as long as they see it."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 175 words, 05/12/11
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a beautifully observed, determinedly poky western... Kelly Reichardt is admirably steadfast - and spare - in her approach."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 535 words, 05/06/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Reichardt's long lateral takes and unapologetically glacial tempo are an avant-garde rebuke to the whole notion of the fast-galloping western."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 195 words, 05/06/11
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: EXCELLENT(cg) "Greatly enhanced by the performances of Michelle Williams and Bruce Greenwood... the film quietly becomes engrossing - it almost sneaks up on you."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 491 words, 05/27/11
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: VERY GOOD(cg) "...keeps us guessing, and watching, as these small figures wander lost in a landscape, running from things we can only imagine..."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 549 words, 04/08/11
John Hartl, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the tone is leisurely and frankly arty. The cumulative effect, however, can be impressive, especially when the script focuses on an Oregon wagon train's survival..."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 250 words, 05/06/11
Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: EXCELLENT(cg) "...beautifully shot and paced, wholly realized on both the large and small scale, and acted (for the most part) with low-key naturalism."(See all of Shawn Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,001 words, 04/22/11
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...city-slicker audiences may find themselves getting saddle sore. But those with the courage to explore uncharted territory will be rewarded with a rough gem of a movie."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 328 words, 05/13/11
Tom Long, Detroit News: POOR(cg) "This is the sort of film critics love to praise because the filmmaker has done good work before; and well, there must be something there. Well, there's not."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 325 words, 05/13/11
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "There are stretches that are, frankly, boring. But the vivid details and intimacy you develop with these travelers sticks with you, leaving you in awe..."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 498 words, 05/27/11
Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...serves as a beautiful examination of prejudice and trust.... a well-told story, wonderful portrayals, incredible cinematography and impenetrable tension."(See all of Eric Eisenberg's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 714 words, 04/18/11
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...reduces Manifest Destiny to an existential equation... this is the arid equivalent of Werner Herzog's 'Aguirre, Wrath of God.' "(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 556 words, 05/05/11
J. Hoberman, LA Weekly: GOOD "...suggestively allegorical, discreetly trippy... For all its detailed authenticity, this minimalist 'Wagon Train' is less naturalistic than existential."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 565 words, 04/21/11
Scott Tobias, AV Club: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...excruciating in the best possible sense, adopting a pace that's entirely appropriate to the endless expanse, but nonetheless suffused with suspicion and dread."(See all of Scott Tobias's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 422 words, 04/07/11
Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...an ambitious feat of visual storytelling that's alive to both its landscape and the actors who people it.... a big movie masquerading as a small one..."(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,429 words, 04/07/11
Nick Schager, Slant: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a western that reverses the genre's traditional forms and dynamics to create something new and startling, yet still familiar."(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,041 words, 10/06/10
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...one of the finest American films of the year, and one that's going to infuriate as many people as it enthralls. That doesn't matter, as long as they see it."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 175 words, 05/12/11
Wyatt Williams, Atlanta Creative Loafing: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a film about being lost, not about finding the path. This subtle but daring narrative choice distinguishes it from clichéd Westerns."(See all of Wyatt Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 498 words, 05/13/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...a tough, quiet revelation of a movie... a bracingly original foray into territory that remains, in every sense, unsettled."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,092 words, 04/08/11
David Denby, New Yorker: MODERATE "...almost punitive to sit through... Reichardt uses classical film technique to indicate that, despite her many revisions, the pioneer spirit isn't a sentimental invention."(See all of David Denby's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 403 words, 04/04/11
Dana Stevens, Slate: EXCELLENT "...the least successful of the Reichardt films I've seen, but even with its flaws, this stripped-down feminist Western feels like necessary viewing..."(See all of Dana Stevens's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 803 words, 04/08/11
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon: OUTSTANDING "...its mood of desolation, danger and desperate faith affected me more powerfully than anything else I saw amid the onslaught of cinema at the Toronto Festival this year."(See all of Andrew O'Hehir's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 731 words, 09/16/10
MOVIE INDUSTRY (6 Reviews)
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: EXCELLENT "...beautifully hand-crafted picture welds Kelly Reichardt's subtle political concerns and eye for rugged American landscapes to a spare yet classically involving tale..."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 868 words, 09/04/10
Deborah Young, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "The clash of civilizations competing for the same land is a principal theme here... Missing is a touch of John Ford's warmth and humor."(See all of Deborah Young's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 535 words, 10/15/10
Patrick Z. McGavin, Cinema 24/7: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Moody and spellbinding... a fugue with cumulative impact, gathering an off-handed mystery and poetic rapture.... achieves an ineffable grace and maturity."(See all of Patrick Z. McGavin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 858 words, 09/20/10
A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...a tough, quiet revelation of a movie... a bracingly original foray into territory that remains, in every sense, unsettled."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,092 words, 04/08/11
18.0 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Meek's Cutoff's reviews are separated by an average 18.0 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Meek's Cutoff (44 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Meek's Cutoff's reviews cover 73.8% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 24,440 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 556 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 13.6 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Meek's Cutoff's reviews on average broke 13.6 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Meek's Cutoff's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Meek's Cutoff (44 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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