There is an emotional tension that is breathtaking in “Certain Women”. This is also due to the top-class cast. With Kristen Stewartt, Michelle Williams, Laura Dern and Golden Globe winner Lily Gladstone, real power women are at work in the subtle indie drama.
A long train slowly makes its way through the sublime and at the same time dark and deserted winter landscape of Montana. Already in this first shot you can feel the idiosyncratic handwriting of the independent filmmaker Kelly Reichardt, the master of deceleration, subtext and minimalism. The train that runs straight towards the viewer has three highlights, Reichardt will tell three stories in “Certain Women” (2016), and she has enlisted three excellent actresses for it: Laura Dern, Michelle Williams and Kristen Stewart.
Three women – three stories
The stories of lonely women that Reichardt accompanies on their journey through life are only very loosely connected. The auteur filmmaker borrowed it from Maile Meloy’s short stories, which were published in 2009 under the title “Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It”.
Lawyer Laura (Laura Dern) has a relationship with the married Ryan (James LeGros), but between the images that Reichardt’s sensitive cameraman Christopher Blauvelt gives the viewer of their last rendezvous, there are already signs of the impending separation. Laura is also expecting her stressful client Fuller (Jared Harris) at the office, who has been permanently injured in an accident at work.
Unfortunately, he has already agreed to a settlement and has now lost the opportunity to sue, which he absolutely does not want to believe his lawyer. However, when one of Laura’s male colleagues tells him the same thing, he immediately sees his pointless undertaking. Laura can hardly believe it. It’s great how Reichardt, who implicitly always makes socially critical films, highlights the discrimination against women in passing.
Gina’s family life
The second, unfortunately weakest episode, gives the viewer an insight into the marriage of Laura’s lover Ryan. Despite a relationship crisis, he and his wife Gina (Michelle Williams) want to build a house in the country. That’s why they want to buy rare sandstones from an old man that have been lying around on his property for decades. But just as Ryan undermines Gina’s attempts to educate her pubescent daughter, he insensitively undermines her efforts to acquire the natural stones that are meaningful to her.
In addition to her muse Michelle Williams, who already starred in her drama “Wendy and Lucy” and the feminist western “Meek’s Cutoff”, and Laura Dern, Kelly Reichardt was able to meet Kristen Stewart, who has long since broken away from her “Twilight” image and become one who has developed a veritable character actress for her intimate female drama. She owns the film’s most heartbreaking episode, in which Stewart is stolen from the show by a film colleague.
Jamie, a young woman of indigenous descent, accidentally stumbles into an evening course on school law taught by law student Beth (Stewart). One look at actress Lily Gladstone’s expressive face and warm glowing eyes is enough to recognize love at first sight. A few times the young women go out to eat together after the course – until one evening Beth doesn’t show up anymore.
Emotional tension and outstanding actresses
The emotional tension that Reichardt and her outstanding actresses are able to draw from this rather insignificant everyday encounter is simply breathtaking. Gripped by longing, Jamie – who you already feel like you know as if you had read a thousand-page novel about her – goes to see Beth where she lives. A decision that will ultimately break her heart.
But she will still live her life, continue to do her work on the lonely farm and, despite quiet disappointment, try to keep reaching out to others and the unspeakable – just like Laura and Gina.
Certain Women – Wed. 06.03. – ARTE: 10 p.m
Source: teleschau – the mediendienst GmbH