Land

Robin Wright is an actress known worldwide for her memorable roles in such critically and publicly acclaimed films as Princess Bride (1987), Forrest Gump (1994), Message in a Bottle (1999), Unbreakable (2000) and more recently Wonder Woman (2017), Blade Runner 2049 (2017) and Justice League (2017), Wonder Woman 1984 (2017). For her first film as a director and actress, she moves away from the American blockbusters to offer us an intimate film about grief. Practically alone on the screen throughout the story except for a few scenes with a hunter (Demián Bichir) who shows her all the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Edee Mathis (Robin Wright) following the loss of her husband and their child decides to disconnect from the world and leave for an isolated cottage with no cell phone, no car and only a few provisions. She hopes not to sink but to find a way to recover from a heavy loss. By losing her family, this young woman no longer sees a possible future. However, her meeting with a hunter and his dog will make her want to fight again even if he has a personal secret that he does not want to tell her about his health (their reunion gives this film one of its most beautiful scenes).

Land is a film about mourning and benefits not only from a perfectly calibrated script written by Jesse Chatham and Erin Dignam but also from an inspired direction which makes it a film to discover. It is always interesting to discover the first film of a famous actress because she often delivers a film on more personal themes. Once again Robin Wright proves to be perfect in the role of Edee Mathis. No unnecessary stylistic effects, a sober staging that serves the story and above all shows us the fragility of our lives when we lose a loved one. Its short duration makes us follow with interest this story, which is certainly simple but which celebrates in its own way the beauty of nature and its importance on its balance. A true psychological therapy, this film proves to be as simple as it is fragile and successful.

Land (USA)
Directed by Robin Wright
Produced by Allyn Stewart, Lora Kennedy, Leah Holzer, Peter Saraf
Executive Producers: Robin Wright, Marc Turtletaub, Eddie Rubin, Chad Oakes, Michael Frislev, John Sloss, Steven Farneth
Co-Producers: Kim Winther, Josh Cohen
Written by Jesse Chatham, Erin Dignam
Starring Robin Wright, Demián Bichir, Kim Dickens
Music by Ben Sollee, Time For Three
Cinematography: Bobby Bukowski
Production Designer: Trevor Smith
Costume Designer: Kemal Harris
Music Supervisor: Susan Jacobs
Edited by Anne McCabe, Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
Distributed by Focus Features
Release date: February 1, 2021 (Sundance)
Running time: 89 minutes

Seen on February 01, 2021 (Sundance Festival)