Wind River (2017)

[wlk68]

Has anyone else seen this? I loved Taylor Sheridan's others movies (Sicario and Hell or High Water) and this one is just as good. Jeremy Renner gives an amazing performance. He's spent so much time playing "action-hero guy" lately that I think people forget he was nominated for The Hurt Locker and The Town. His work here is even better. 

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5362988/?ref_=rvi_tt

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Admittedly I went to see this because of Elizabeth Olsen, who acquits herself admirably playing an inexperienced FBI agent without annoying me a la Emily Blunt in Sicario, but I have to admit that Renner really impressed me too. His soliloquy about his daughter's death and how you can never blink even for a second spoke of the lingering hurt of an unimaginable loss, and I want this movie to get the attention it deserves. Sheridan has been described as an actor's director, and I think that's fitting, so it isn't a criticism. Not sure about it's chances at awards season, since it might get lost in the shuffle due to being such a contained piece, but still. More people should see it.

[AimingforYoko]

I don't quite like it as much as Hell or High Water, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. And Jane is aware that she's out of her depth, which puts her ahead of Kate in Sicario.

I once had to evacuate my apartment building in January (Minneapolis, MN) without shoes and I only had to walk next door. I can't even imagine running 6 miles like that.

[wlk68]

I liked Hell or High Water a tiny smidge more than Wind River but I liked Wind River much more than Sicario. I agree more people should see it. Also agree re Renner's soliloquy about his daughter's death and will also add the scene where he tells Natalie's father to embrace the pain. Some damn fine acting in both of these scenes. 

Agree Olsen was better than Blunt. Graham Greene is his usual awesome self. Gil Birmingham is excellent as Martin. 

[thuganomics85]

Really hyped for this since I thought Sicario and Hell or High Water were two of my favorite films in their respected years, and this was really good too, although I don't think I enjoyed it as much as the former two.  I was just didn't warm up to either Corey or Jane, and found myself wishing we saw more of Ben and especially Martin.  Some of it might have been acting, perhaps.  Jeremy Renner had some great moments (especially Corey talking about how his daughter died), but I find myself preferring him more in supporting roles like in The Town or American Hustle, and a bit dull whenever he is the lead.  As for Elizabeth Olsen, I like her a lot and she did what she could, but I felt like she was in a consist state of "wide-eye, mouth gaped" open look throughout the entire film. I guess I understand the complaints about Kate being similar in Sicario, but I didn't mind it there; perhaps because I just find Emily Blunt to be a better actress.  Still, they served their purposes at least, but they just didn't grab me like Kate and Alejandro (Sicario) did, or Tanner, Toby, Hamilton, and Alberto did (Hell or High Water.)

The supporting cast was excellent though.  Graham Greene is always great and was again here.  Really enjoyed all of his lines and reactions.  Should have known it would mean poor Ben would die though.  Despite only being in that one flashback, I thought Kelsey Asbille did a real good job at showing how Natalie was like, and she came off like a normal, likable young woman, who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it ended tragically due to those rapey assholes.  Also fun seeing a few other familiar faces like the coroner (Eric Lang), the oil rig guys (Hugh Dillion, Matthew Del Negro), Ian Bohen, and Martin Sensmeiser as Natalie's brother.  But the best, like with Hell or High Water, was Gil Birmingham as Martin.  Such a heartbreaking performance.  And seeing him in this and his role in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt this summer really shows how diverse he is as an actor.

I'll admit they fooled me with who the killer was.  I knew Jon Bernthal was going to be in this, but never saw him in any of the previews, so I totally was like "Oh, he's totally the killer."  Instead, he actually tried to save her and got killed as well for his troubles.  Nice to see him play against type.  I mean, I guess some can frown on him for being in a relationship with an eighteen year-old, but compared to the rest of those guys, dude was a saint.

Loved the glimpses of what it was like living on the reservation and all of the politics and legal hoops that have to be jump through, such as waiting for an FBI agent to even deal with the body since it was on federal land or how the coroner couldn't even technically call it murder since she actually died due to the cold (even though it was clear she had suffered trauma and sexual assault.)

Beautiful locations and scenery, even if it was apparently actually Utah instead of Wyoming.  Did love the little banter between Corey and Dan Crowheart about Jacksonhole, since I went there once for vacation (one of my favorites.)

Thought Taylor Sheridan did a great job for his first time behind the camera (more or less.)  I do think the film had a lot similar shots to what Denis Villeneuve and David Mackenzie brought to Sheridan's past films, so I do think he was influenced and inspired by them, but it looked just as good and was very intense at the right moments as well.  And I already feel like he's got a noticeable writing style, because there were certain lines and dialogue that must me go "Yep, that totally Sheridan!"  He really has become one of my favorites and I hope he keeps getting better.

[scarynikki12]

I'm trying to figure out one detail.  Renner points out to Olsen that the snowmobile tracks go up the mountain from the drug trailer but don't come back down.  They follow them up, find boyfriend's body and then Renner later continues to follow them until he sees that they end at the drilling site.  We're meant to infer that the drilling guys took that route to dump boyfriend's body in the hopes that the animals and elements will take care of it.  My question is this: are we supposed to think that they were trying to pin any possible discovery on the three guys in the trailer or that they drove around in the snow for a bit looking for Natalie before deciding to dump the body?  I was a little confused on that point because the drilling site and drug trailer aren't next to each other yet those tracks are how Renner found boyfriend and figured out the drill guys were involved/the culprits.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

1 hour ago, scarynikki12 said:

My question is this: are we supposed to think that they were trying to pin any possible discovery on the three guys in the trailer or that they drove around in the snow for a bit looking for Natalie before deciding to dump the body?

None of the guys seemed to realize that Natalie had fled, as they were too busy pounding the boyfriend's head in, so my guess is that once they'd killed him they went out and looked for her, and even if they didn't find her they had to get his body out of there. They make a point in the movie of saying that snowstorms come and go in a hurry, and it took Renner being out in the hinterlands just discover her lying in the snow. Considering that the guys in the drug trailer had automatic weapons on hand, and were ready to use them on the cops, it makes sense that the drillers would choose them as scapegoats.

[JenMcSnark]

I just saw this today and I really loved it, which seems strange to say about such a dark and sad movie.  I thought the performances were spot on and I was on the edge of my seat for most of the show.  Loved Hell or High Water, but it had a lot more humor in it which made it easier to take.  Really impressed with Taylor Sheridan.  I didn't even realize he was from Sons of Anarchy until after I got home from the movie and looked at IMDb.  Wow! Quite a career he has started.

[SeanC]

As a screenwriter, Sheridan is still in very good form.  As a director I think he's a bit rougher here; there are times where sequences feel like they go on a bit too long, or where spatial relations are confusing (the bit where Renner, Olsen and Greene approach the Littlefeather residence really doesn't give you a good sense of where Renner is in relation to the others, to the point where I wasn't quite sure if he was doing something else in a different location).  However, other sequences are really good, and he nails the emotional beats of the story.

I will admit, I kind of rolled my eyes a bit at the climax, which features some of the most unbelievably stupid criminals I've ever seen in a movie.  Granted, they put themselves in a bit of a bad spot to begin with, but after they had mostly massacred the police and one of them was about to cap Olsen, I was thinking "uh, okay, you guys do know you've got maybe 12 hours before the whole weight of the US government comes down on you, right?"

I also think it would have been simpler and more poetic if Renner had just stayed with Olsen.  I mean, if he didn't go after Dumb Hick #1, what would have changed?  Dumb Hick #1 would have died in exactly the same manner that he did, and even if he had somehow made it to civilization, he wouldn't have a prayer of evading the FBI.

[CofCinci]

Sheridan is 3 for 3. 

The weakest link in this film was Olsen. I found her acting to be terrible.  Who else was up for the role?

Is anyone else afraid to run in the cold now?

[methodwriter85]

I'm going to admit, when I saw the opening, I thought this movie was inspired by the murders of Robert Hansen, who kidnapped prostitutes in Alaska and made them play a "hunting" game with him before he killed them. Then when I realized that wasn't the case, I really thought it was going to be revealed Natalie and the daughter were both killed by the same guy. (Being Jon Bernthal.)

One thing kind of bothered me- there's a photo of them both in graduation caps, implying that they graduated high school together. Yet according to Jeremy Renner's character, she died 3 years ago, when they would have 15/16. I guess it's possible to graduate from high school then, but both of them? I guess I could tell myself it was a junior high graduation picture.

I enjoyed it, but the characters didn't really engage me that much.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

19 hours ago, CofCinci said:

The weakest link in this film was Olsen. I found her acting to be terrible.  Who else was up for the role?

According to IMDB, Olsen seems to have been the only choice for Jane, but Chris Pine was cast in Renner's role and dropped out for an unspecified reason. And in her defense, I think Jane's realization that she was in a bit over her head was reflected in the acting, since she didn't even bring the right clothes to wear given the weather.

[cpcathy]

I didn't see any poor acting on her part, but I couldn't help but think that her nose is too small for her face, and now that's all that I can think about her.

[MaggieG]

On 8/26/2017 at 9:51 PM, thuganomics85 said:

I'll admit they fooled me with who the killer was.  I knew Jon Bernthal was going to be in this, but never saw him in any of the previews, so I totally was like "Oh, he's totally the killer."  Instead, he actually tried to save her and got killed as well for his troubles.  Nice to see him play against type.  I mean, I guess some can frown on him for being in a relationship with an eighteen year-old, but compared to the rest of those guys, dude was a saint.

 

I thought they exact same thing. I felt bad for him too. He's just working, trying to make a living, meets a nice girl, they fall for each other, talk about running away together and then he gets beaten to death by his drunk, rapey coworkers while trying to protect his girlfriend. Also, they way they described how Natalie died was just awful.

[topanga]

I don't think this movie got the acclaim it deserved. Granted, it's a small indie project, but Jeremy Renner was fantastic. I can't believe he received no awards or nominations for this role.

The film gave me a lot of knowledge about life on a Native American reservation, which I'll admit, I knew little about. A sad film, but very well done.  Some of my favorite scenes were with Cory and Martin, with the two of them bonding over their shared grief. 

The flashback scene was painful to watch, but I like when Cory called Natalie a warrior, which she was. She ran for 6 miles in the Wyoming snow. And he was right--the drunk, rapey guy only made it a few hundred feet. 

[SimoneS]

I saw this movie recently and agree it should have gotten more attention from the critics. I don't like Jeremy Renner as an actor and thought Olsen was mediocre at best, but the story itself was well done and heartbreaking. However, I do wish that these films about lives of Native Americans would actually feature them than focusing on the white characters. Julia Jones (the ex-wife) is a much better actress than Olsen and barely had any lines. I hope we see more films about Native Americans on the reservations actually featuring Native American characters.

Edited January 28, 2018 by SimoneS

[CofCinci]

For me, this was the most powerful film of the year and I’m disappointed that it wasn’t recognized by any nominations. I think it was swept into the garbage bin because of Weinstein. 

[topanga]

On 1/28/2018 at 10:01 AM, CofCinci said:

For me, this was the most powerful film of the year and I’m disappointed that it wasn’t recognized by any nominations. I think it was swept into the garbage bin because of Weinstein. 

Yeah, when I saw ‘The Weinstein Group’ in the credits, I cringed a little. 

[Crisopera]

I was so sorry that this got caught up in the Weinstein shit.  it's a terrific movie with excellent performances and gorgeous photography.  I thought the big climactic plot line came a bit out of left-field, but all in all, a very good movie indeed.

[wlk68]

Before the Weinstein story broke, it looked like this movie had some legs in regards to awards, etc. And once the scandal came out, they did everything they could to separate themselves from the TWC and salvage the situation. Sheridan and Acacia Entertainment renegotiated everything and made sure that no profits would go to TWC, but instead would be directed to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. Sheridan, Renner and Olsen all gave interviews addressing the issue but nothing helped. It's too bad, really, because this movie is excellent. So much better than some of the movies that were ultimately nominated for things.    

[MrsRafaelBarba]

On 9/7/2017 at 1:45 AM, Cobalt Stargazer said:

According to IMDB, Olsen seems to have been the only choice for Jane, but Chris Pine was cast in Renner's role and dropped out for an unspecified reason. And in her defense, I think Jane's realization that she was in a bit over her head was reflected in the acting, since she didn't even bring the right clothes to wear given the weather.

Pine dropped out for Wonder Woman.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

On 9/6/2017 at 9:38 PM, methodwriter85 said:

I'm going to admit, when I saw the opening, I thought this movie was inspired by the murders of Robert Hansen, who kidnapped prostitutes in Alaska and made them play a "hunting" game with him before he killed them. Then when I realized that wasn't the case, I really thought it was going to be revealed Natalie and the daughter were both killed by the same guy. (Being Jon Bernthal.)

One thing kind of bothered me- there's a photo of them both in graduation caps, implying that they graduated high school together. Yet according to Jeremy Renner's character, she died 3 years ago, when they would have 15/16. I guess it's possible to graduate from high school then, but both of them? I guess I could tell myself it was a junior high graduation picture.

I enjoyed it, but the characters didn't really engage me that much.

Have you seen The Frozen Ground?

 

That's about  the  murders Robert Hansen committed.

[MisterGlass]

Just had an opportunity to see this on Netflix.  Taylor Sheridan is a talented writer.  Hell or High Water is the best of his movies that I've seen, but this was good.  Tense, cruel, and emotional.  I thought it was a good cast, and all the actors played the roles well.  Renner had some good moments, though I was a bit surprised the movie focused so firmly on him.  Gil Birmingham was the standout to me, as he was in Hell or High Water.  He's an excellent actor.

Olsen's character did echo Emily Blunt's in Sicario; both of them endeavored to do the right thing, and both of them failed in various ways.  The other commonality is that they were both set up to fail.  I'm not sure if that's coincidence or commentary.

[ullu91]

How did Natalie come to meet his boyfriend if she had to run barefoot? Did she come by walking? Was she living there already? I don't think so.

[scarynikki12]

I only saw the movie once but I remember her arriving at his trailer fully clothed. She ran off barefoot to get away from the men who had just raped her and were in the process of beating her boyfriend to death. If she did arrive at the trailer barefoot then I've got nothing.