“A triumph of modesty and of seriousness that also happens to be one of the finest American films of the year.” Manohla Dargis, The New York Times American independent Kelly Reichardt’s breakout film laid the groundwork for an oeuvre that continues to impress to this day. The first of what now numbers six collaborations with Jon Raymond, Old Joy faithfully adapts the author’s enigmatic short story about two drifting-apart buddies who reunite for a weekend hiking trip in the foothills of Oregon’s Cascade Range. Cult musician Will Oldham (aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy) is one half of the two-hander, a wandering, past-prime hippie longing to reconnect with his hometown pal (Daniel London), a father-to-be. Featuring a scenic soundtrack by indie rock royalty Yo La Tengo, Reichardt’s career-resetting sophomore feature is an eloquent, incisive meditation on adulthood, alienation, and platonic(ish) male friendship in flux. In celebration of 20 years, her minimalist masterpiece returns. “It attests to a new strain in Amerindie production—literate but not literary, crafted without ostentation, rooted in a specific place and devoted to small sensations.” J. Hoberman, Village Voice “Exquisite … It contains the whole world … The physical and emotional landscapes it travels are as broad, deep, and mysterious as the human psyche itself.” Ella Taylor, LA Weekly
