There simply isn't another filmmaker like Kelly Reichardt. Her stories, set in the Pacific Northwest, have a leisurely feel to them... shots... scenes... allowed to breathe. They are not languid, however, as there is always something going on. Perhaps a modern viewer, raised on YouTube and TikTok videos, would find her movies slow, even ponderous. This is unfortunate because the visual aesthetic of her films and the nuanced characters deserve our undivided attention.

This simple story about two strangers, who become business partners and friends, is much more than that. At its core, it is a story about greed, specifically American capitalism, and how the desire for more leads to destruction.

Nature in this setting in the 1820s is like Paradise. Schemers and scammers are transforming it into a "casino," what with men lured by the prospect of easy riches. The "first cow" is like the Tree of Forbidden Fruit in the Genesis creation stories. The desire for profits dooms those who are tainted by greed. As the Bible says, "The love of money is the root of all evil."

Cookie and King-Liu become victims of that greed.

The script and movie defy numerous screenwriting conventions. I look forward to exploring them this week.