Wind River (2017)

Though its two main stars are box office bonafide, Wind River can not be mistaken for Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch solve a murder. This somber crime drama is the third straight critical darling (after Sicario and Hell or High Water) from writer/director Taylor Sheridan, who prior to becoming the seeming "in" auteur of the moment, had been an actor with recurring roles on the TV series Veronica Mars and Sons of Anarchy. Sheridan's cinematic sensibility seems to be a blend of both film noir and western, with Wind River the story of  the investigation into the mysterious death of an 18 year old Indian girl on a Wyoming reservation. The girl Natalie Hanson (Kelsey Chow) is found dead in the snow by U.S. Fish and Wildlife agent Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) while looking for some mountain lions who have been praying on local livestock. Lambert is particularly effected by the young girls death as she had been a good friend of his own daughter, who had passed away under similar circumstances three years prior. Lambert aggress to aid the relatively inexperienced FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) who is dispatched from the Bureaus Las Vegas office to conduct a preliminary investigation into the death, they are assisted by the tribal police chief Ben, played to good effect by the great (but to often underused) actor Graham Greene.

The film is largely of a slow pace, a meditative character study that at times is difficult to watch, with the particulars of Natalie's death best left to experience on screen. This is a very strong, understated film, that feels deservedly destined for a best picture Oscar nomination. The movie also serves to raise public consciousness of the very real problem of missing and murdered women on America's Indian reservations. Worth seeing for those who can stomach a really tragic story. ****