Old Joy

[still from film, Kino International]

Saw a quietly beautiful film, "Old Joy." Here's Entertainment Weekly's quick synopsis and review by Lisa Schwarzbaum (link):

"One man (Daniel London) faces
impending fatherhood, the other (Will Oldham) still clings to a notion
of carefree, unencumbered drift. And what begins for these two longtime
pals as a weekend mountain camping trip becomes in Old Joy,
filmmaker Kelly Reichardt's shimmering, quiet treasure of a film, an
elegy to mutable friendship, enduring nature, and the sense of loss
that inevitably accompanies the adult pull to move forward. It's in all
the moments where little happens that Reichardt is most amazing,
investing even a gas-station pit stop with perfect emotional pitch."

The film resonates especially because of the similar conflicts I feel about changing friendships and unrealized dreams. There's a lingering sadness throughout the film and as such, I left the theater feeling uneasy. Perhaps, the emotions felt too familiar.

A few days later, the affecting film is hard to get out of my mind.  Not because of the initial unease, but the growing realization that it took me on a remarkable journey. As in the most memorable experiences in real life, it left me with a rich satisfaction long after the credits stopped rolling. Hats off to Kelly Reichardt.

Another review about the film from the New York Times (link)