While we were at our friends lake house a couple of weekends ago celebrating a birthday, our old faithful iPod speakers were playing Yo La Tengo’s “Leaving Home” from They Shoot, We Score. When one friend inquired as to what movie soundtrack this song was from, we really had no clue. Fortunately, one of our house guests did. Charlottesville’s Yo La Tengo did the entire score for Kelly Reichardt’s Old Joy, a 2006 film that follows two good buddies as they explore Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. If you’ve ever wondered what the Oregon wilderness looks like, this movie is a good start.
The film is a true beauty in the sense of modesty, seriousness, and the way these emotions are expressed between two very different friends. The monotone of the film doesn’t really seem like one, yet supplies you with beauty and feeling, making the trip seem less like a bummer and more like a revelation. Actors Daniel London and Will Oldham do the job perfectly.
It’s the perfect weeknight movie that leaves you on a truly peaceful note. Enjoy it over a nice bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir – that’s our recommendation.
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