FILM

The Mastermind ★★

(M) 110 minutes

American writer-director Kelly Reichardt is widely known on the independent film circuit as the queen of understatement.

She doesn’t believe in shortcuts. The camera sits and watches while her characters take their time in getting things done. At her best, she can slow your pulse and put you in a contemplative state of mind which eventually leads to empathy and understanding – as happens in her 2008 film, Wendy and Lucy , which provided a powerful boost to Michelle Williams’ career. A finely drawn portrait of a young homeless woman travelling across the country with her dog; it’s heartbreaking.

The Mastermind is another melancholy tale from Reichardt. Set in 1970 in the quiet New England town of Framingham, it’s been described as a heist movie

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