November 25, 2025
Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton) lived in the woods of Idaho since he was 6 years old orphan. He dropped out of school as a teenager and led an aimless life for the next 20 years. He did not find anything interesting to do until he met Gladys Olding (Felicity Jones) at church one Sunday, fell in love and got married. They built a cabin beside a river and not long after, they had a daughter Kate. From then on, Robert's hermit life had found direction.
This film was a thoughtful reflection about the life of simple man who lived in the American countryside. The first specific year mentioned was 1917, the time when Robert for the Spokane International Railroad to build a bridge over a deep gorge. This was the year Robert's sensibility was traumatized by the senseless murder of a Chinese co-worker. This guy's face would be the first of many that would haunt Robert for the rest of his life.
In the course of his many jobs, he'd meet different eccentric characters, like dynamite expert Arn Peeples (William H. Macy). He had a sense of sentimentality as he remembered history -- from the tents that dated back to the Civil War to the boots he nailed to tree trunks as a commemoration of men who died in the line of duty. He also expressed his regrets for cutting down trees that were as old as 500 years -- very much an underlying theme of this film. .
Since Robert was always away for a long time when logging, Gladys wanted to find a way to keep their family together. The plan was all set -- he would quit logging and they'll build a sawmill of their own. Fate would have it that this fervent dream would not come to pass as planned. Life can be very unpredictable, and even downright cruel. One might learn to gone on with his life, but this "life" would be hollow with loss for a very long time.
Joel Edgerton gave a sensitive performance here, as Robert lived up to 80, An Oscar nom is not unlikely. He spoke very little in the film, but his sad weathered face said it all. Director Clint Bentley evoked Terence Mallick here. With his cinematographer Adolfo Veloso, editor Patrick Laramie and narrator Will Patton, he had created a poetic portrait of a man and the difficult life he went through. We are riveted. We are moved. 8/10
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