Kelly Reichardt’s River of Grass is a “lovers on the run” film, but the main characters aren’t lovers, and their version of the lam is spending a few days at a flop-house in an adjacent zip code. Originally released in 1994, Reichardt’s debut is a digressive walkabout into a world of delayed responsibility and halted potential. It’s a story that perfectly aligns with the mythic Americana themes that have emerged over her career, while also feeling formally radical. Rereleased this year through a Kickstarter from Oscilloscope Laboratories, River of Grass isn’t able to reach the peaks of Reichardt’s later monumental work, but it’s educational in mapping out her concerns as a filmmaker and a stirring reminder of her abilities as a visual stylist.

Read the rest of my review at The Film Stage: thefilmstage.com/reviews/review-river-of-grass/