Playful in its deconstruction of contemporary, domesticated, American life, Kelly Reichardt's River of Grass is a stunning debut feature which declared the arrival of one of America's premiere contemporary filmmakers. Taking place near the Florida Everglades, River of Grass documents the life of Cozy, a disenfranchised housewife, who shares no love for her husband as she spends most of her efforts attempting to merely pass the time of her boring, lonely existence. Neglecting her children, Cozy's only sense of happiness comes in moments of grandiose fantasy, where she envisions herself as a dancer or gymnast, roles known for their independence and freedom in form. One night, Cozy meets Lee, a directionless, homeless man who appeals to Cozy due to him having the one thing she wants, freedom. The two quickly get embroiled in a odd partnership, one in which their frustrations about the world they live in binds them, along with mistakenly thinking they've committed a murder. Together the two attempt to escape from society, for lack of a better descriptor, though it becomes apparent quite quickly that they are short on actual ideas. Kelly Reichardt's River of Grass is a film that subtly skewers contemporary consumerism and the traditional preconceived notions about what a woman should be in American society. The film paints a full portrait of this character Cozy, establishing her as a woman who has essentially drifted through life, marrying her husband due to the fact that he loved her, and she figured that in time she would grow to love him too. River of Grass creates a portrait of a woman who feels trapped due to her passive demeanor, with the actions that follow being a rebellion of her traditional, family lifestyle which helps her find her underlying independence. Lee and Cozy are both characters disenfranchised by societies' design, from the feminine expectations of family, to the consumerism and materialism embroiled into American society, these characters feel empty inside and meaningless. Much of this is accomplished through Reichardt's direction, which visually evokes society as this overbearing presence, one in which American life, from Christianity to consumerism, feels like an abrasive force on these characters who are dissatisfied with the way their life has unfolded. While there is really no violence in River of Grass the film pulsates with an undercurrent of disdain, depression, and frustration, as these disenfranchised characters struggle with solutions to their woes. Featuring a potent tale of one woman's need to free herself from the oppressive shackles of domesticated, American life, Kelly Reichardt's River of Grass is a stunning first feature that is complex, stirring, and playful in its subversive tale of the domestic, American dream.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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