Movie-Wendy and Lucy

Michelle Williams is perfect in this small Indie movie, Wendy and Lucy (2008). She is Wendy, a young woman in an old car and with precious few dollars, driving across country trying to get to Alaska, to a high paying canning job. But the bad things are OK, because of the friend with her, Lucy, her dog.

But her car gives out and then Lucy disappears, and Wendy is frantic, heart-broken and despairing. This film, though short (only 80 minutes) is long on emotion and creates empathy between the viewer and Wendy. She is just struggling, like so many people are nowadays, and though she has a plan, it all goes awry.

Where is her family? Who are her friends? Some of these questions get answered a bit, but we know for sure that Lucy is the world to her, and as she desperately tries to find her friend, her realization about her own life, and how precarious it is, dawns on her.

Williams is so good here, not overplaying or milking the role, but playing so true, so organically, that every word and thought rings true. You feel that she is holding on pretty well as the movie begins, despite the lack of money. But as she loses her car and especially Lucy, she knows must make some choices, choices that are more for Lucy's good than her own.

This is a very good film. Quiet, but sure of itself, as is William's performance. The film is right for the time we live in, and right for the despair that can be just around the corner. It is also right in the feeling between and owner and her beloved pooch. The movie is right in so many ways, it is well worth a viewing.

At least that is my opinion.