Old Joy

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Lorenz L The only character for whom I felt a modicum of empathy was the dog. There is noting to see/hear here. It could have been filmed anywhere - there is no sense of place or time. The characters are both incapable of speaking in any way which resembles even the most basic human communication (is that the point of the whole mess?). The editing is excruciatingly awful: gee, lets do ... JUMP CUTS ... but all in one scene and not too many. Did anyone actually direct this? Literally nothing happens. It is dead and null and void and a waste of celluloid. You will not feel anything or see the world in a different light except maybe an evasive glimmer of happiness that you only wasted about 76 minutes. My biggest question: What did the Criterion Collection do that it was forced to release this? I recently went go a screening of Béla Tar's "Sátántangó which lasts seven-and-a-half hours (two brief intermissions during which vegan gulasch was served) and contains a total of about 150 cuts (by contrast, there are about 75 cuts in the shower scene of Hitchcock's "Psycho" which lasts less than a minute), and I was never bored for a second. About 30 minutes in, I wanted to look at some background info on "Old Joy" (who ARE these people?) and got sidelined because when I turn on my computer it opens to a major newspaper and there was breaking news. So I read the article and some reader comments, and then played a round of a video game. Then I watched a bit more of "Old Joy" (I can't even justify calling it a movie or a film), and then I felt a slight pain in my upper lip. About 10 days ago I was hiking in brilliant sunshine longer than I expected and am still dealing with the after effects, like cracked lips. I went to put on some more lip balm, and then stopped in the kitchen and wondered if I should prepare the gnocchi I bought today with tomatoes and zucchini and capers and a red sauce and a good Parmigiano-Reggiano, or go Greek and do it with olive oil and lemon juice and Kalamata olives and feta cheese. Then I remembered that I had been watching something, and finished it. So there: I hope I have entertained you more than this wretched, pathetic amateur-hour abject failure. Go experiment with some gnocchi instead. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 08/29/25 Full Review Dave S Living lives of quiet desperation, a pair of former roommates get together for an overnight camping trip in the Oregon wilderness. And there you have, on the surface, the plot of Kelly Reichardt’s Old Joy. And there you have the reason why Reichardt’s films seem to be so divisive, a love ‘em or hate ‘em affair depending on how the viewer values plot and action. While it may not be her best effort, it certainly laid the groundwork for what would follow in her career – well-defined characters, an emphasis on visuals, contemplative moods, deliberate tempo, and revelations that you don’t even realize have happened until they’ve passed. Old Joy is the perfect place to start for anyone interested in checking out Reichardt’s oeuvre. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/23/25 Full Review Laura S So boring, I stopped watching. No talent actors. Trite script. No surprise I've never heard of any of you. Mt Lebanon, PA. You could do better working at Hershey Park. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 07/28/24 Full Review Thomas L Slow paced and nuanced, two old friends, one a free spirit with little direction or responsibility and the other who is busy with impending responsibilities, take a camping trip, and reconnect. Mesemerizing. Watching this little gem again 18 years later, and it makes you remember your younger self, when life was a little more simple, less divisive and there were places to get away from it all. Now it is just scary out there. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/15/25 Full Review Sal D Old school relationship type film that embraces a very mellow, relaxing vibe. While I cannot recite the specifics of then two characters other than one being a hippie type and the other a more straight laced, soon to be Dad, not much more is needed to enjoy this film. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/27/24 Full Review Ravenswood R More is implied than shown or told. Two late-twenties age guys who were closer friends when younger and seemingly have not spent much time together recently get together and don't have much to talk about. Exciting? No. Interesting? Yes. A straightforward look at an aspect of real life that we all go through at that age. True to life, and basically an objective look at one of life's many forks in the road. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/28/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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