| Wendy and Lucy | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Kelly Reichardt |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | "Train Choir" by Jon Raymond |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Sam Levy |
| Edited by | Kelly Reichardt |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Oscilloscope Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 80 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $300,000[2] |
| Box office | $1.4 million[3] |
Wendy and Lucy is a 2008 Americandrama film directed byKelly Reichardt. Reichardt andJon Raymond adapted the screenplay from his short story "Train Choir". The film starsMichelle Williams as Wendy, a homeless woman who searches for her lost dog, Lucy (played by Reichardt's own dog of that name, who had previously appeared inOld Joy).[4] It had its world premiere at the2008 Cannes Film Festival and was screened at several additional film festivals before receiving a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 10, 2008.
A young woman, Wendy Carroll, is traveling toAlaska with her dog Lucy, where she hopes to find work at acannery. They become stranded inOregon when Wendy's car breaks down, and she lacks the funds to repair it. At a supermarket, she leaves Lucy outside while she attempts to shoplift dog food. After a meeting with the store clerk and the manager, Wendy is apprehended and taken to the police station.
After paying a $50 fine, Wendy is released from police custody. She hurries to the grocery store, but Lucy is gone. After many failed efforts to find Lucy, with the help of aWalgreens security guard, Wendy discovers that she has been taken to a dog pound and rehomed.
Wendy learns her car needs to be rebuilt and abandons it then goes to the home where Lucy lives. She tearfully promises to return and departs on a northbound train.
In its opening weekend,Wendy and Lucy grossed $18,218 in 2 theaters in the United States, ranking #54 at the box office. By the end of its run,Wendy and Lucy grossed $865,695 domestically and $326,960 internationally for a worldwide total of $1,192,655.[5]
The film has received generally positive reviews from critics. On thereview aggregation siteRotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 86% approval rating among 183 critics, with an average score of 7.4/10. The site's consensus reads "Michelle Williams gives a heartbreaking performance inWendy and Lucy, a timely portrait of loneliness and struggle".[6]OnMetacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[7] The film won both Best Picture and Best Actress at the12th Toronto Film Critics Association Awards.[8]
