Director
Robin Wright

Starring
Robin Wright and Demián Bichir


In this ambitious directorial debut from Robin Wright, we see her also take on the lead role of Edee, a severely depressed woman who decides to move off the grid into a cabin in the Wyoming wilderness. Throughout the early stages of the film we get small hints to the unspeakable tragedy that has led Edee to this decision, but the silent devastation that Wright exudes is enough to convey the message that this is an all or nothing, last ditch attempt to get some semblance of a life back on track.

Land is very much a character exploration on how some people need to deal with grief when conventional methods have failed them. Whilst the actions of the protagonist can at times seem infuriating, there is also a beautiful simplicity in what she’s trying to achieve. The early stages of the film show Edee trying to adapt to this new life, for which she seems entirely unprepared. Nothing comes easy for her, especially in the freezing Wyoming winter. It soon appears that all hope of Edee’s resurrection is lost when she is happened upon by Miguel (Demián Bichir) and Alawa (Sarah Dawn Pledge), who bring her much needed food and medical supplies. Over time Miguel helps teach Edee the skills required to survive her new lifestyle, and the two bond over their unspoken similarities.

The performances from both Wright and Bichir are strong and engaging. Not a lot is said, but they’re still able to communicate with the audience. Perhaps the main weakness of the film though is that a little too much is left to interpretation. A lot is built up around the mystery of Edee’s self-isolation, but at the same time it’s very obvious from early on in the film. It would have been more effective to lay the cards on the table early on and really delve into her devastation on a more meaningful level.

Wright has definitely challenged herself in her first directorial feature, and at times maybe it was a little too ambitious. That being said, there’s enough meat here to suggest that there will and should be a lot more of her behind the camera in future. This was a good, albeit not excellent, start to the new phase in her already illustrious career.

This is a solid fare, one that will make you want to pack up and explore the northern reaches of the Mountain States (in Spring/Summer at least).

Land is in cinemas now.  


Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

TRAILER
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi3390357785?playlistId=tt10265034&ref_=tt_ov_vi