Wind River

Drama | English | 107 minutes

Info

On the Wind River Native American Reservation, Cory Lambert, a tracker of mountain lions killing livestock, discovers the frostbitten body of teenager, Natalie Hanson. Since the FBI has jurisdiction over murder cases on Indian reservations, FBI Special Agent Jane Banner arrives to investigate. As a tracker with knowledge of the land, Lambert agrees to assist Banner. Also assisting is the Tribal Police Chief Ben Shoyo. Banner learns that Natalie had a boyfriend, Matt Rayburn, who was a security guard at a nearby oil drilling site. In a flashback, Natalie is in bed in Matt’s trailer, both are in love. Matt and Natalie are attacked by drunken security guards. Matt is beaten to death while Natalie escapes. Not fully clothed and running in sub-zero temperature, Natalie succumbs. Lambert, Banner, and Shoyo, now realizing what happened, arrive at the drilling site and confront the guards. They are determined that justice will be done.

Cast

Jeremy Renner (Cory Lambert) / Elizabeth Olsen (Jane Banner) / Graham Greene (Ben Shoyo) / Kelsey Chow (Natalie Hanson)

Why Stream This Film?

Director/writer Taylor Sheridan stated that he did the film to”raise awareness of the high number of Native American women who are raped and murdered, both on and off the reservations.” Sheridan was also moved by what he heard so often on the Reservation: “To this day, the Indians die, and not just physically, but culturally.”

Rotten Tomatoes Score (Critics Consensus): 88%
Metacritic Score: 73

Accolades

Cannes Film Festival: Winner, Best Director (Taylor Sheridan)
Hollywood Film Awards: Winner, Best Breakthrough Director (Taylor Sheridan)
Directors Guild of America: Nominated, Outstanding Directorial Achievement (Taylor Sheridan)
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival: Winner, Best Film; Best Actor (Jeremy Renner)