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Daniel London, Will Oldham, Tanya Smith, Lucy, Keri Moran ... see more see more... , Matt McCormick , Robin Rosenberg , Darren Prolsen , Jillian Wieseneck , P. C. Peri , Autumn Campbell , Steve Doughton

Old Joy is writer/director Kelly Reichardt's long-awaited follow-up to her revered but underseen 1994 feature debut, River of Grass. (She directed a couple of shorts in the interim, including Ode, a S... read more read more...uper-8 film inspired by the song "Ode to Bill.") Daniel London and cult folksinger Will Oldham star in the film as two old friends who go on a camping trip to a hot springs in the Cascade mountain range of Oregon. London's Mark is the responsible one with the modest house, the wife (who resents his gallivanting off), the dog (who comes along), and the baby on the way. He listens to Air America, and makes all the right liberal noises. Oldham's Kurt is the free-spirit type with the untamed facial hair and the junker car that looks more lived-in than vehicular. Kurt suggests the trip, and they take Mark's car. Kurt has the directions to the place, and they get lost ("I think we're somewhere...in the area") and spend the night at a garbage-strewn campsite, where they discuss their lives, and Kurt laments the apparent dissolution of their friendship. In the morning, they have breakfast in a diner, and Mark apologizes to Tanya (Tanya Smith) over the phone, explaining that he'll be home later than expected. In the daylight, they find the hot springs, and spend the afternoon quietly unwinding. Reichardt co-wrote Old Joy with Jonathan Raymond, adapting his short story, which was originally written as a collaboration with photographer Justine Kurland. It was shot (on Super-16) by Peter Sillen and features a soundtrack by Yo La Tengo. The film was selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art for inclusion in the 2006 edition of New Directors/New Films. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

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73% liked it

5,036 ratings

Critics

85% liked it

85 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 13 min.

Directed by: Kelly Reichardt

Release Date: August 25, 2006

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DVD Release Date: May 1, 2007

Stats: 433 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (433)

  • SirPant
    September 28, 2011
    SirPant
    The best way I can describe Old Joy is like this, at points in our lifetimes, our feelings change, simple feelings that effect the very core of what we are, it's part of our growth and development and sometimes it's not nice. Because it is often unpleasant, it's sometimes prefera... read moreble that it be whispered in your ear, rather than shoved down your throat. Kelly Reichardt has depicted this perfectly in this short and gentle film. Even when very little is happening, there is always something nice to look at and Daniel London and Will Oldham play their parts with the subtlety and gentleness they require. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to seeing more from Reichardt. I also now believe that every film should have a dog in it.
  • axadntpron
    July 6, 2011
    axadntpron
    This film was my first foray into the work of the well-respected Kelly Reichardt. If this film is any indication, I need to be ready for some serious introspection if I choose to go further.
    Although this film is very minimalistic, it tackles some pretty serious issues regarding ... read morethe changing nature of friendships and the alienation that comes with growing old. It is a road picture in which the trip makes for a pretty interesting metaphor. No matter how you think a trip is going to turn out, there will always be some bumps in the road that you did not foresee.
    While some may be turned off by its languid pace, it is refreshingly and awkwardly honest. There are long stretches of silence between these characters and when they do converse, it is rather insipid dialogue. To capitalize on the emotional division between these two characters, Reichardt manages to keep these men in the same frame, but they couldn't seem any further apart.
    While a hearty dose of melodrama always spices up a good story, sometimes life isn't that way. In fact, silence far outweighs all of the words spoken in the world and it is interesting to see someone capture these moments in such a raw way. Am I eagerly awaiting this film's release on Blu-Ray? Of course not. But it is an honest look at friendship and something that isn't too often captured on film.
  • gator681
    October 29, 2006
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]"Old Joy" starts with Mark(Daniel London) enjoying a quiet day off with his very pregnant wife, Tanya(Tanya Smith), when his old friend, Kurt(Will Oldham), calls, asking him if wants to go hiking to a hot springs up in the mountains. Mark agrees and brings h... read moreis dog with him. But while searching for their destination, they get lost and stop for the night...[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]"Old Joy" is a low-key exploration about how the times change and sometimes the people do not change along with them through the friendship of two men. Mark is expecting his first child, the biggest change in his life, soon to be his largest responsibility.(Smaller changes to his life involve the closing of a local used records store and his listening to talk radio which he may not have listened to before.) At the same time, Kurt is considering the job offer of a chef at a resort but otherwise his life still seems rudderless. The movie's main strength is its naturalness, not only in its settings but also its dialogue. [/font]
  • robfearon
    May 7, 2010
    robfearon
    Even more minimalistic than Reichardt's follow-up, Wendy & Lucy. Still, it was a satisfying experience.
  • fb605734040
    January 24, 2012
    fb605734040
    This movie provides an interesting insight into male relationships but its lack of plot and on-screen events makes it quite disappointing.
  • girlybat
    June 18, 2008
    girlybat
    "i want us to be real friends again. there's something between us and i don't like it. i want it to go away."
  • afilmbymichaelmargetis
    January 1, 2008
    afilmbymichaelmargetis
    On an entertainment scale, 'Old Joy' is right up there with watching grass grow. In Kelly Reichardt's painfully dull sophomore feature, not much happens. The premise is basically this -- two old friends go on a camping trip and talk about their family, swim, smoke weed and talk a... read morebout philosophy. One of the friends is a married man, Mark (Daniel London) and the other is a hairy, balding and unquestionably pathetic washed-up hippie by the name of Kurt (Will Oldham).

    Techincally speaking, 'Old Joy' is a well-made film. The cinematography is neat, the dialogue although boring is realistic and the acting is solid. Oldham and London are both decent in their roles, and the two have great screen chemistry. But for the average viewer, there is little to like about this inexcusably tedious exercise. The film's gratuitous drawn-out shots of nature gets to be tiresome, annoying and dare I say a bit pretentious. If you enjoy watching grass grow, get ready for the thrill-ride of the decade! Grade: B-
  • jrmcm
    July 20, 2007
    jrmcm
    Will Oldham is awesome in one of the greatest buddy movies I have seen. Plus it's kind of a road movie. In the wilderness of Oregon. With Yo La Tengo music.
  • jeffriguez
    June 26, 2007
    jeffriguez
    In the Pacific Northwest, two former college roommates, Mark and Kurt, reunite for a weekend trip to a remote and somewhat mystical Oregon hot spring. They were once free thinkers, postmodern hippies always stoned and at one with nature. These days, Mark is at the tipping point o... read moref letting that part of himself go forever and settling into a comfy, suburban lifestyle. Kurt hasn't just retained that carefree part of himself; it has defined his life as an unemployed drifter. What other history they share is pure speculation, as, for a quiet 76 minutes, we watch them meet, drive, get drunk, have a meal, finally locate the fabled hot spring, and then return to civilization. The dialogue is spare but filled with pain as these two floundering companions realize how far they've grown apart and attempt to reconnect with a beautiful earth that they may or may not take in as joyfully as they should. Part character study and part meditative nature film, it rewards patience in spades with images and observations that will linger in the mind long, long after the closing credits roll. Super bonus -- Yo La Tengo's gorgeous minimalist score is, like the movie, an invigorating walk in the crisp autumn woods.
  • kyberc
    May 29, 2007
    kyberc
    being a fan of will oldmans music i had to rent this, well he delivered on acting but i cant say much for the movie all around.

View All Old Joy Reviews

Critic Reviews

Steve Murray
March 15, 2007
Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Old Joy may be built around a road trip, but it's also a movie about two roads -- and two souls -- diverging. Full Review

Robert Denerstein
March 9, 2007
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

You may find yourself asking whether anything's going to happen. But for those who can tolerate a slow-brewing movie, [director] Reichardt's work provides sufficient rewards.

Lisa Kennedy
March 9, 2007
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

Subdued, artistic, with beautifully nuanced performances that are as true as they are often elusive of commercial triumph. Full Review

Colin Covert
January 18, 2007
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

At just 76 minutes, Old Joy is a minimalist film, but illuminating, bittersweet, gentle and deeply alive.

John Monaghan
December 1, 2006
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press

The movie captures gorgeous mountain scenery with the simplicity of an Ozu film. It also benefits from the naturalistic performances. Full Review

Richard Nilsen
November 30, 2006
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic

It plays for a scant 73 minutes, but if feels as long as a Wagner opera. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
November 24, 2006
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

The real resonance of Reichardt's at once lean and profound little movie is that, without saying anything directly, it can seem to say so much. Full Review

Jason Anderson
November 24, 2006
Jason Anderson, Globe and Mail

Wise, resonant and genuinely special. Full Review

Steven Rea
November 10, 2006
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Old Joy's not-going- anywhere-ness is a big part of its charm.

Michael Wilmington
November 2, 2006
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

Fresh as spring water and warm as sunlight, it steeps us in the beauties we will always miss, if we keep dividing the world into winners and losers. Full Review

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  • In "Old Joy," where did the guys stop for gas?   Answer »
  • Will Oldham starred as Kurt in "Old Joy." Oldham records music under what stage name?   Answer »
  • He was the star of 2006's Old Joy.  Answer »
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