Kelly Reichardt's 'Wendy and Lucy' (2008)
Her Head in FilmsMay 21, 202401:37:59

Kelly Reichardt's 'Wendy and Lucy' (2008)

In this episode, I talk about Kelly Reichardt's 2008 film, "Wendy and Lucy." It stars Michelle Williams as Wendy Carroll, a young woman stopping in Oregon on her way to Alaska when her car dies and she ends up losing her dog, Lucy. Much of the film revolves around her desperate search for Lucy and her interactions with various people who either show a bit of kindness or cruelty. Released at the beginning of the Great Recession, the film resonates more than a decade later in the way it looks at financial instability, the struggles of the working class, and the precarious nature of our lives. One bit of bad luck--her car breaking down--sends Wendy's life into a kind of tailspin that she tries to get out of with very few resources. I talk about many things in this episode, including the bonds we form with pets, our responsibility to other people, the making of the film, and much more! There are spoilers.



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Full Show Notes and Sources:




• “I Think I’ve Come a Long Way”: “Wendy and Lucy” Actress Michelle Williams (IndieWire (https://www.indiewire.com/2008/12/i-think-ive-come-a-long-way-wendy-and-lucy-actress-michelle-williams-71233/)


• Interiors Journal Explores Location and Space in Kelly Reichardt’s Wendy and Lucy

(Movie Maker (https://www.moviemaker.com/archives/articles/wendy-and-lucy-interiors-journal/)


• Michelle Williams Finds a Safe Haven With Outsider Director Kelly Reichardt on Wendy and Lucy (LA Weekly) (https://www.laweekly.com/michelle-williams-finds-a-safe-haven-with-outsider-director-kelly-reichardt-on-wendy-and-lucy/)


• Interview: Michelle Williams (In Contention) (http://www.incontention.com/2008/12/31/interview-michelle-williams/)


• Michelle Williams says "Wendy and Lucy" role a gift (Reuters) (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-wendyandlucy/michelle-williams-says-wendy-and-lucy-role-a-gift-idUSTRE4B83K320081209)


• Interview: Kelly Reichardt on “Wendy and Lucy” (IFC) (https://www.ifc.com/2008/12/interview-kelly-reichardt-on-w)


• A Completely False Security: An Interview with Kelly Reichardt (Mubi) (https://mubi.com/notebook/posts/a-completely-false-security-an-interview-with-kelly-reichardt)


• Exclusive: Wendy and Lucy Filmmaker Kelly Reichardt Discusses Her Slice of Life New Indie (FlavorWire) (http://flavorwire.com/5019/exclusive-wendy-and-lucy-filmmaker-kelly-reichardt-discusses-her-slice-of-life-new-indie)


• Kelly Reichardt by Gus Van Sant (Bomb Magazine) (https://bombmagazine.org/articles/kelly-reichardt-1/)


• Wendy and Lucy Director Kelly Reichardt on Michelle Williams and Why Alaska Is Overrated (Vulture) (https://www.vulture.com/2008/12/kelly_reichardt.html)


• Kelly Reichardt (Contemporary Film Directors) by Katherine Fusco and Nicole Seymour (https://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Reichardt-Contemporary-Film-Directors/dp/0252083059)