Old Joy
March 15, 2020
Mark (Daniel London) and Kurt (Will Oldham) are friends who don't see each other all that often anymore. Just as Mark is on the cusp of fatherhood, they reconvene for a camping trip in the Oregon wilderness.
There will be a pre-recorded introduction from writer/director Kelly Reichardt.
Kelly Reichardt's 2006 film is a deep and honest dive into male friendship the likes of which is rarely seen onscreen, portraying two individuals whose love for each other is tested by the people they've become in the years spent apart. As their trip experiences setbacks, and Mark clearly prefers a more structured route than Kurt, the tensions of a friendship idealized in memory placed against the reality of changing circumstances and adult life are thrust to the surface. Upon its release, Old Joy announced the emergence of an original voice in American independent filmmaking, one that Reichardt has continued to develop and refine with each subsequent feature.
"Like a great jazz musician, Reichardt understands that striking a single, well-placed note can resonate more profoundly than playing a splashy cascade of noise just because you can."—Jim Emerson, RogerEbert.com
- Director: Kelly Reichardt
- Principal Cast: Will Oldham, Daniel London, Tanya Smith
- Country: USA
- Year: 2006
- Running Time: 76 minutes
- Producer: Neil Kopp, Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy, Anish Savjani
- Screenplay: Jonathan Raymond, Kelly Reichardt
- Cinematographers: Peter Sillen
- Language: English