When the Levee Breaks

In Kelly Reichardt’s new film, Night Moves, a ragged trio of would-be eco-saboteurs plot to blow up a hydroelectric dam in western Oregon. There is Josh (Jesse Eisenberg), a steely young man full of sidelong glances and inarticulate rage; Dena (Dakota Fanning), a doe-eyed rich girl levitating on hippie zen; and Harmon (Peter Sarsgaard), the elder, who emanates the cool, malevolent calm of nihilism.

With the quiet, crackling earnestness of kids playing house, the threesome set their plan in motion, buying a boat and 1,500 pounds of fertilizer, with cash, of course. Their grim excitement is pinched by nervy paranoia and an impending sense of doom, as fissures appear in the bulwark of their scheme: surveillance cameras abound; a car stops on the outlet road above the dam just as they set the explosive timer. And, when the boom comes, there is a nightmare of collateral damage, at once inevitable and shocking.

Reichardt is a filmmaker of surpassing patience, far more interested in the emotional consequences of our decisions than the actual how and why of human actions. Her films (Wendy and Lucy, Meek’s Cutoff) focus on the mute interstices of fate where lonely, searching people run smack against the edge of an abyss.

In Night Moves, Reichardt is unconcerned with the heavy hand of political cant or whether an act of terror will forestall the apocalypse. Like Dostoyevsky, she is more interested in the minutiae of crime and punishment — how idealistic impulses blind us to the shrapnel sent out by our deepest, darkest desires, and the toll we pay for forging meaning in the midst of chaos.

Night Moves is full of excruciating suspense and intricate espionage, but the movie ends, as T.S. Eliot warned of the world’s demise, not with a bang but a whimper — a haunting whimper that asks: What have I done?

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!