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Old Joy is a quiet and simple film that reveals its emotional depth through feeling. The film runs just 73 minutes and really only features several scenes. However these moments are revealing through subtle dialogue and gestures. Aiding this is an undercurrent of visual beauty and environments. The story centers around two old friends who reunite on a trip in the mountains. Together they look to recapture their "old joy” and youthful spirit, yet clearly it becomes evident that this is lost. This is all expressed in the slightest of expression, including the way the film contrasts the visuals of natural landscapes and industrial environments. Director Kelly Reichardt (in her feature debut) reveals a lot through visual feeling and gestures, while keeping a tone of mystery, capped off with a sudden inconclusive final shot.
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