Meek's Cutoff

Name: Meek's Cutoff
Genre: Western
Released: April 8, 2011
Duration: 104 min
Rating: 85

2011

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 36 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 81 Ratings

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6.3

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 81 Ratings

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Meek's Cutoff

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Movie Details & Credits

Oscilloscope Pictures | Release Date: April 8, 2011 | PG

Summary: The year is 1845, the earliest days of the Oregon Trail, and a wagon train of three families has hired mountain man Stephen Meek to guide them over the Cascade Mountains. Claiming to know a shortcut, 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, theThe year is 1845, the earliest days of the Oregon Trail, and a wagon train of three families has hired mountain man Stephen Meek to guide them over the Cascade Mountains. Claiming to know a shortcut, 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 face the scourges of hunger, thirst and their own lack of faith in one another'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 a natural born enemy. (Oscilloscope Films)… Expand

Director: Kelly Reichardt

Genre(s): Western

Rating: PG

Runtime: 104 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Ann Hornaday

May 19, 2011

A mesmerizing cinematic journey that is often as arduous and spare as the lives of its hard-bitten protagonists. Read full review

100

Scott Tobias

Apr 7, 2011

Meticulous and immersive, Meek's Cutoff feels like history in three dimensions. Read full review

Betsy Sharkey

Apr 21, 2011

A lyrical poem for some, like watching paint dry for others. I'd argue for embracing the poetic, a rare commodity in American films these days. Read full review

Peter Travers

Apr 7, 2011

Reichardt has crafted a haunted dream of a movie to get lost in. Read full review

Ben Sachs

May 12, 2011

Reichardt keeps this so hypnotic from shot to shot that you can easily get wrapped up in it as a sensory experience. Read full review

J. Hoberman

Apr 5, 2011

Cinematic as it is, Meek's Cutoff has an uncanny theatricality. The scenes alternating between windswept emptiness and the dark void could be played on a barren stage. For all its detailed authenticity, this minimalist "Wagon Train" is less naturalistic than existential. Read full review

Rex Reed

Apr 6, 2011

Who goes to the movies for 104 minutes of punishment? Where is John Wayne, now that we need him? Read full review

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User Reviews

Beth

Apr 8, 2011

At the Upper Westside movie theater we attended tonight the mostly middle aged and older viewers actually hooted when the movie ended. All of us had read the laudatory review in the New York Times, but it was clear that nobody agreed with it.

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

Umm

Dec 20, 2011

I really enjoyed this movie and felt obligated to post a review to help its score a bit. It's beautifully shot, acted, and full of subtleties. I highly recommend it. There is a real sense of dread and terror. The director doesn't spoon feed the audience anything, or show his hand. WhichI really enjoyed this movie and felt obligated to post a review to help its score a bit. It's beautifully shot, acted, and full of subtleties. I highly recommend it. There is a real sense of dread and terror. The director doesn't spoon feed the audience anything, or show his hand. Which makes it all the more nerve-wracking (in a very good way). Few movies can create such a natural sense of unease without relying on shock-factor tricks. It's shocking to me how people think that a movie they don't like is some kind of scam or ploy by filmmakers and critics. Sad.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

lancekoz

Mar 23, 2018

This is spare, but filled with the beauty of the west and the humble character of the people passing thru it. It is a little violent and somewhat despairing, but there is no epic pain and suffering like any of a number of war films. If I had seen it in a theater, I might feel a littleThis is spare, but filled with the beauty of the west and the humble character of the people passing thru it. It is a little violent and somewhat despairing, but there is no epic pain and suffering like any of a number of war films. If I had seen it in a theater, I might feel a little overwhelmed with the hopelessness of the situation, but for home viewing, it is a fine and true visual record of the type of thing that probably happened often in the times.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

May 31, 2011

A small group of pioneers is lost on the Oregon trail: that's pretty much the whole movie. The pacing is beyond slow: they trudge across the land, do simple chores, trudge some more. Much of the minimal dialogue is indiscernible and there's no emotional build. And to top it off, the movieA small group of pioneers is lost on the Oregon trail: that's pretty much the whole movie. The pacing is beyond slow: they trudge across the land, do simple chores, trudge some more. Much of the minimal dialogue is indiscernible and there's no emotional build. And to top it off, the movie doesn't endâ… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

ellingston

Dec 8, 2018

This is no Metacritic review, this movie is flat-out boring. You can defend it with a meta-argument like "the glacial pacing and eventless tedium of this movie is a true reflection of the settler experience on the Great Plains." Balderdash! It's just a really boring movie.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

shambo

Apr 28, 2011

The movie palpably attempted, to cleverly show the destitute conditions a 1845 settler family had to endure,searching for water. While it succeeded, it was quite mundane and laborious to watch. I found myself slumping on my chair, constantly trying to fixate my eyes on the screen but to noThe movie palpably attempted, to cleverly show the destitute conditions a 1845 settler family had to endure,searching for water. While it succeeded, it was quite mundane and laborious to watch. I found myself slumping on my chair, constantly trying to fixate my eyes on the screen but to no avail. From the elitist critics reviews and by the intriguing posters I thought it would be quite exuberant. It drags on at a sluggish pace and end at a slow pace as well. It exacerbates the audience further by having a ambiguous ending. The dialogue is minimal and when spoken is just muttered and very inaudible. Despite the families plight, I couldn't sympathise with them because of their bigotry towards the Indian. Who they fear and at the same time deem quintessential to obtaining water. At times I thought of many sadistic ways, in which a cavalcade of Indians would just come along and slaughter them. It would been more engrossing that way. I am a teenager after all what do you except from my generation? If a movie is arid, we will loathe it. I understand it is meant to have intellectual property and symbolism. But for god sake make it appealing to people. I don't watch movies to feel intelligent. I watch them to be entertained. Only a comatose patient would find this interesting.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

AxeT

Jan 9, 2015

What an utter worthless bore beyond belief, and yet again so many jackass critics praised it because they sniffed something pretentious. The actors are all phony (and some have been very good in other things) delivering mostly unintelligible dialogue which there is NEVER any excuse for!What an utter worthless bore beyond belief, and yet again so many jackass critics praised it because they sniffed something pretentious. The actors are all phony (and some have been very good in other things) delivering mostly unintelligible dialogue which there is NEVER any excuse for! Make a silent film then.
And in this case it might as well have been as the narrative is extremely weak. Authenticity as excuse for sheer laziness. The idiotic decision to shoot the image in the old TV 4x3 square aspect ratio on a WESTERN no less just shows why novices like this should not be allowed to make movies!… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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21	#21 Best Movie of 2011
88	#88 Most Shared Movie of 2011