Meek's Cutoff (2010)

Settlers traveling through the Oregon desert in 1845 find themselves stranded in harsh conditions.

Director:

Kelly Reichardt

Writer:

Jonathan Raymond (screenplay) (as Jon Raymond)

Stars:

Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Paul Dano

7 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Michelle Williams	...	Emily Tetherow
Bruce Greenwood	...	Stephen Meek
Will Patton	...	Soloman Tetherow
Zoe Kazan	...	Millie Gately
Paul Dano	...	Thomas Gately
Shirley Henderson	...	Glory White
Neal Huff	...	William White
Tommy Nelson	...	Jimmy White
Rod Rondeaux	...	The Indian

Storyline

The year is 1845, the earliest days of the Oregon Trail, and a wagon team of three families has hired the mountain man Stephen Meek to guide them over the Cascade Mountains. Claiming to know a short cut, Meek leads the group on an unmarked path across the high plain desert, only to become lost in the dry rock and sage. Over the coming days, the emigrants must face the scourges of hunger, thirst and their own lack of faith in each other's instincts for survival. When a Native American wanderer crosses their path, the emigrants are torn between their trust in a guide who has proven himself unreliable and a man who has always been seen as the natural enemy.

---

Plot Keywords:

blackfoot indian | bucket | cayuse indian | horseback riding | bible | 

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Thriller | Western

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some mild violent content, brief language and smoking

Did You Know?

Trivia

Actors went through a week of Pioneer Camp.

---

Goofs

Early in the film, three women are walking across the baked desert following the wagons, presumably to the west. The guide may be off course but nobody would mistake east for west. Yet the womens' shadows are to their left as they walk, and since the sun would always be in the southern sky in Oregon, they could only be walking east. A basic detail that a director should not miss.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Jimmy White: [reading from Genesis] In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

---

Connections

Featured in Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (2018)

---

Soundtracks

Nearer, My God, To Thee
(uncredited)
Written by Sarah F. Adams and Lowell Mason
Performed by Neal Huff

User Reviews

One of the best westerns to come out in the last 10 years. A great movie with great acting and a great cast. I say A-

"Is he ignorant, or is he just plain evil?" Three families decide to start a new life in 1845 Oregon. They hire master guide Meek (Greenwood) to lead them along the Oregon Trail. When a shortcut turns out to become dangerous Emily (Williams) begins to openly question his abilities. This is one of the rare westerns that have been released in the last 10 years. A good one, almost a great one. While this movie does have it's slow moments the scenery and acting (an all star cast) more then make up for it. This is one of the independent movies that I talk about when i say that big budget movies that are crap get more publicity then the little ones that need it, and are 1,000,000 times better. This movie also has two of my favorite underrated actors in it, Bruce Greenwood (in an Oscar caliber role) and Will Patton. This is one great movie. Overall, not only one of the best westerns in the last 10 years, but one of the best movies period. Watch this, it's awesome. I give it an A-

Would I watch again? - Probably

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 April 2011 (UK)

Also Known As:

Meek's Oregon 1845 Cutoff

Filming Locations:

Oregon, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$20,024, 10 April 2011

Gross USA:

$977,772

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,205,257

Company Credits

Production Co:

Evenstar Films, Film Science, Harmony Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1