‘Little Woods’: Tessa Thompson Shines In This Empathetic Modern-Day Western [Tribeca Review]

Director Nia DaCosta offers a rare and insightful look at the life of America’s struggling working class with the exceptional modern-day Western”Little Woods.” An impressive directorial debut, DaCosta captures the hardship of economical depression in a manner that feels acutely reflective of where the troubled country stands today. “Little Woods” offers no glamor or pity, only empathy for those trapped in a system that gives them few choices.

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In Little Woods, North Dakota, Ollie (Tessa Thompson) has just days left to go in her parole, and her attendant officer Carter (Lance Reddick) pleads with her to stay on this side of the law. Ollie’s intentions are well-meaning, but her distressed situation leads her back down the dark path of illegally smuggling drugs across the Canadian border and selling to the addicted. Her estranged sister Deb (a glammed down, effective Lily James) and her nephew live in an unlawfully parked motor home, as the family house lays in foreclosure. The bank gives the sisters one week to pay what they’re owed: $5,000, a massive struggle for anyone, but Ollie and Deb are challenged to make ends meet even without this new burden.

Reluctantly back in the business, Ollie’s drug peddling soon finds her on the radar of Little Woods’ criminal element, including her nephew’s father Ian (James Badge Dale) and local drug dealer Bill (a nicely menacing Luke Kirby). Trying to hide her new revenue stream, Ollie aims to make enough money to keep her family safe and secure. Meanwhile, Deb discovers she is pregnant again, but can’t afford to have another child.

“Little Woods” serves as a powerful indictment of a number of American institutions, particularly its economics, healthcare system and the challenges made for women (especially rural women) who need abortions. Economic instability and desperation rise in waves off the movie; these are people without options in almost any aspect of their lives. And director DaCosta immerses the audience in an authentic depiction of desperation while mercifully veering away from anything that might be perceived as poverty porn.

In her debut as a writer and director, DaCosta proves strongest at establishing mood, revealing setting and characters that are rarely afforded screen time. On-the-nose dialogue, however, is the film’s weak point. “Little Woods” has the feel of a modern-day Western, but it isn’t just an update on the time period. Focusing on women’s fights to survive both financially and physically brings a new depth to the genre that was rarely present in both the classical offerings of old Hollywood and more recent reinventions. DaCosta’s film feels of a pace with Debra Granik’s “Winter’s Bone” and David Mackenzie’s “Hell or High Water,” but it also brings to mind something new that wasn’t offered in either drama.

Something of an antihero, still a rarity for women on screen, in selling opioids to provide for her family, “Little Woods” doesn’t shy away from the fact that her crimes are one that directly affects her community, and echo a larger issue in America. But DaCosta’s emotionally-charged drama refuses to judge Ollie for her actions, though she feels clear guilt, particularly in how her actions undermine the trust of her parole officer.

Thompson continues to prove she’s one of the most versatile actors around, just in the last year appearing introverted and brainy in “Annihilation,” irreverent and kickass in “Thor: Ragnarok” and as scheming exec in “Westworld.” Here, Thompson is alternately determined and wary, bold and nervous, and her performance does the subtle work that the script can’t always accomplish She’s great with when she’s paired with everyone in the all-around excellent cast, but she’s best when she’s one on one with Deb. DaCosta captures the strained complexities of sisterhood in a way that isn’t often represented in a medium that often puts a premium on dynamics between brothers.

For her first effort, DaCosta creates a film of texture, with Matt Mitchell‘s cinematography capturing the landscape of the modern American west in a classical way that still feels inventive. “Little Woods” isn’t always subtle, but the occasional lack of nuance doesn’t lessen the power of its timely themes or impressive performances. [B+]

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