At the center of CERTAIN WOMEN are the lives of four Montanan women, played by Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, and newcomer Lily Gladstone. Though their stories barely intersect, the performers convey a consistent sense of melancholy and depth in each of their stories.
In the first story, Dern plays Laura Wells a lawyer with a client who tests the boundaries of her empathy. Dern brings both softness and steeliness to the character as she vacillates between compassion and duty.
Williams plays Gina Lewis, a mother and wife who feels like the odd woman out in her own family. She is set on buying limestone from an old neighbor for her new house, butfeels conflicted about taking something that clearly holds emotional value. Williams, who has worked with Reichardt on two previous projects, has a soft, whispering voice, both defeated and defiant.
Lastly, Stewart plays Beth Travis, a lawyer teaching night classes in a rural town. Jamie, played by Gladstone, is a student who has stumbled upon the class and is mesmerized by the young woman. Stewart, who attained celebrity with the TWILIGHT series, is a recent revelation in acting. But Gladstone’s bright eyes and inner smile matches the strength of Stewart’s understated performance.
Reichardt’s naturalistic style of filmmaking demands a lot from actors, and in CERTAIN WOMEN, the writer-director casts stars who have made their careers playing everyday, enchanting women.
— Diana Martinez, Film Streams Education Director
