Old Joy

2006

Action / Drama

4
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 71% · 95 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 71% · 5K ratings
IMDb Rating 6.8/10 10 9774 9.8K

camping hiking road trip oregon, usa dog based on short story

Plot summary

Soon to be a father, Mark feels the pressure of domestic responsibility closing in, so he is more than happy to accept when his old friend Kurt proposes a camping trip in the Oregon wilderness. During their time together, the men come to grips with the changes in their lives and the effect on their relationship.

Director

Kelly Reichardt Photo
Kelly Reichardt

Top cast

Daniel London Photo
Daniel London as Mark
Matt McCormick Photo
Matt McCormick as Weed Salesman
P.C. Peri Photo
P.C. Peri
Lucy Photo
Lucy as Herself
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
688.35 MB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 16 min
Seeds ...
1.23 GB
1920*1080
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 16 min
Seeds 19

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by mrcaw12 7 / 10

Atmospheric, impressionistic piece falls short of what it could have been...

Reviewed by come2whereimfrom 8 / 10

What a brilliantly rare little movie.

Everyone has been there, had a really close friend when growing up and somehow lost contact only to meet up years later to find that you have taken different paths and it's become a little awkward. You still have your past but as time has moved on you've grown apart. It's an age old story but in this instance told so beautifully against the backdrop of the Oregon woods. Mark (Daniel London) and Kurt (Will Oldham) are the old friends reunited in their weekend camping trip of walking, talking, smoking pot and drinking beer. Along with Mark's dog they venture into the lush forest to look for a set of natural springs that Kurt remembers from a few summers ago. The dynamism between the two characters is great and the casting of Oldham as the kind of drop-out figure against Mark's soon to be dad with his newly found family responsibility is perfect. The soundtrack is hauntingly complimentary to the camera work and overall style and its no surprise that it's done by Yo La Tengo a band known for their sweeping instrumental pieces and at times because the dialogue is so sparse it often feels like your watching one of their videos punctuated by spoken inserts, which is no bad thing. Essentially Old Joy is one of those films where not a lot really happens, there is amazing scenery, comical conversational sections, a moving if very light story about human nature and life and a kind of lament on lost friendships and strange unspoken love. At just over an hour this little American tale unfolds with an exquisite subtlety and not only is it a joy to watch, it also makes you feel kind of warm inside. What a brilliantly rare little movie.
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