Meek’s Cutoff

In 1845, a wagon train made up of three families hire a guide, Stephen Meek, to take them on the Oregon Trail and over the Cascade Mountains. As they become lost and desperate for water, the group begins to lose faith in Meek’s abilities. When they capture a Native American, they hope that his local knowledge will help them find water, leading to further tension between the settlers and their guide. 

Meek’s Cutoff contains striking performances from Michelle Williams, Shirley Henderson and Zoe Kazan as three women struggling with the harsh environment of the west. 

Director Kelly Reichardt rejects the action at the centre of so many westerns, choosing instead to explore the hardships and gender inequalities within the settler community to great effect. 

Please note there is use of racist language in this film, representing historic attitudes