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Meek's Cutoff

Play trailer Poster for Meek's Cutoff PG 2011 1h 41m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 137 Reviews 53% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
During the 1840s, six settlers and their guide are caught in a dangerous situation: They are lost, food and water are running out, and the surrounding desert threatens to claim them all. Meanwhile, their guide, Stephen Meek (Bruce Greenwood), refuses to acknowledge that they may be several weeks off-course. When a Native American (Rod Rondeaux) is captured, Emily Tetherow (Michelle Williams), one of the settlers, shields him from Meek's wrath, and he offers to lead the group to water in return.
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Meek's Cutoff

Meek's Cutoff

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Critics Consensus

Moving at a contemplative speed unseen in most westerns, Meek's Cutoff is an effective, intense journey of terror and survival in the untamed frontier.

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Critics Reviews

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Adam Kempenaar Filmspotting Jun 15
4.5/5
...a bleak road movie with the sheen of a Western. Go to Full Review Jim Schembri The Age (Australia) 06/16/2011
3.5/5
Michelle Williams is now the only Dawson's Creek cast member with a chat-worthy film career. Go to Full Review Ben Sachs Chicago Reader 05/27/2011
Imagine a collaboration between John Ford and Wallace Stevens and you might get a sense of what Kelly Reichardt pulls off here: a sincere re-creation of the pioneer experience, brought to life through careful, often unexpected detail. Go to Full Review Kathy Fennessy Seattle Film Blog 05/04/2025
4/4
Kelly Reichardt's meditative take on the genre, written by Jon Raymond, feels more enigmatic than most--with the possible exception of Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man--even if the period details look right. Go to Full Review David Griffiths Subculture Entertainment 10/29/2024
4/5
Meek’s Cutoff shows that are still some creative films that can surface from the U.S. and only proves the fact that Kelly Reichardt is one of the most important filmmakers of our generation. Go to Full Review Sarah Vincent Sarah G Vincent Views 06/09/2024
Reichardt is less interested in recreation than exploring how gender, race and relationships influence power dynamics in a vacuum, a wasteland, where survival should be the only goal. The events in the film feel more like a reimagining of untold history Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Tom F @RT55173143 20h A slow-moving story that draws you into a simple yet complicated survival story. Michelle Williams makes everything better. See more Red in D @redindenver Apr 20 This movie was just SO depressing! And to top it off, after sitting through what seemed like HOURS of watching wagons and women struggle across miles of hardship and deprivation in the desert, the ending was a NON ending -- where they leave it to our imagination, I guess, as to what came next. I wondered if they were planning to make a Meek's Cutoff Part 2. It's also making me wonder if the people responsible for this depressing vignette think that movie goers don't really want entertainment, and that you can get by without putting together a full story by just ending it at some point in time, by just leaving it to the viewers imagination. I was just mad that I'd wasted time watching this depressing mess and then didn't even get a resolution to the story. Why anyone would watch a part 2, let alone make a part 2, is beyond my understanding. See more Chris S @rotten60402 Mar 4 Very slow paced and conclusion fell short. See more Gray R @RT37695320 Sep 11 Some aspects of life in the past are not the least bit fascinating and can be imagined without the aid of such realism in cinema. The only thing I got out of it was that the people of the past were also at the mercy of smooth talkers who take advantage of those whose first inclination is to trust. I bought a used car from a man like Meek when I was young and too trusting. See more Stephen C @bob25009 07/19/2025 Success in 1 hour and 41 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $977,600.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG for Smoking, Brief Language and Some Mild Violent Content!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Ken B @RT66039999 01/08/2025 Don't waste your time on this slow moving movie. The ending was terrible! See more Read all reviews
Meek's Cutoff

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Cast & Crew

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Kelly Reichardt

Director

Michelle Williams

Emily Tetherow

Bruce Greenwood

Stephen Meek

Will Patton

Solomon Tetherow

Zoe Kazan

Millie Gately

Paul Dano

Thomas Gately

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Meek's Cutoff

Meek's Cutoff (2010) Meek's Cutoff (2010) Meek's Cutoff (2010) Meek's Cutoff (2010) Paul Dano as Thomas Gately in "Meek's Cutoff." Michelle Williams as Emily Tetherow in "Meek's Cutoff." (L-R) Shirley Henderson as Glory White, Zoe Kazan as Millie Gately and Michelle Williams as Emily Tetherow in "Meek's Cutoff." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis During the 1840s, six settlers and their guide are caught in a dangerous situation: They are lost, food and water are running out, and the surrounding desert threatens to claim them all. Meanwhile, their guide, Stephen Meek (Bruce Greenwood), refuses to acknowledge that they may be several weeks off-course. When a Native American (Rod Rondeaux) is captured, Emily Tetherow (Michelle Williams), one of the settlers, shields him from Meek's wrath, and he offers to lead the group to water in return.
Director
Kelly Reichardt
Producer
Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani, Elizabeth Cuthrell, David Urrutia
Screenwriter
Jonathan Raymond
Distributor
Oscilloscope Pictures
Production Co
Film Science, Harmon Productions
Rating
PG (Smoking|Brief Language|Some Mild Violent Content)
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 8, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 24, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$977.6K
Runtime
1h 41m
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