The Trail

I could imagine this film set in current times, where the first 20 minutes would have the person trying to get a cell phone signal. She is ‘merely’ a housewife, and her husband decides to go West, to make a better life, with rumors of gold. She is totally unequipped for what happens. But she is obligated to follow her husband, even when he makes obviously bad decisions. After her husband is killed, she is all alone, and finds that even trying to rub two sticks together to make fire is much harder than expected. And that is really true.I will address one of the complaints in the trivia. Yes, the boots from the wagon had zippers, but they were comparable to what would have been around, less the zippers. And I noted in the first snowfall, the snow did not melt on her face, which would have been expected. In the early scenes, it is clear her dress is of thin fabric. In the snow scenes, while I certainly don’t know how she endured the cold while filming, it was clear there was bulk under her dress. But her hands were not covered, and there was one reference to almost frostbite on her feet. So they tried to make it authentic. But one didn’t see her breath, so while there was snow, it was not real cold but I certainly would not want to have gotten into the water for the creek crossing regardless. I have been in that area in the wilderness during the summer, and the water is very cold. For the hand she was dealt, I feel she coped quite well. One may quibble about how she got enough calories, etc., but that also means over thinking the movie.When she laid down to freeze to death overnight, she had made her peace and was prepared to end her struggle. But there is one important message to take from the movie. One does not need a Bible or Church to have God. God is all around. And was the boy real, or in her imagination? It is supposedly on the Oregon Trail, but actually is filmed around Lake Tahoe. Still nice camera work.

I read the reviews before and after I watched "The Trail"; the reviews generally fell into two camps, polarized by the realism of the film and the aspect of the faith message presented in the film. Either reviewers said it was an amazing film that transformed their lives or the film was utter rubbish that was outside the realm of what was believable and tried to force God onto the audience.Neither of theses assessments are accurate, though the one star reviews are much more off based. Those giving this film a one star review seem to have a deep anti-God bias and are unnecessarily critical of the realism of this film. It really is a good independent film. The message of faith is extremely subtle, bordering on not being there at all. The main character reads her Bible a handful of times, she gives one small reflection on seeing God in her circumstances, and there is a Bible verse at the end of the film. That's it. I was half expecting a cheesy Christian movie going into it, but faith plays such a subtle roll in the movie that I'm left to think that those giving "The Trail" one star have a deep seeding anti religious bias that cant see beyond the chip on their shoulder.As far as the realism criticism, yes, there are some seemingly implausible situations. But I feel one needs to suspend reality when watching most movies. I mean, really, do you you think a movie about a Marvel super hero is believable? Or robots that transform into anthropomorphic machines? Come on. We all have to suspend reality on some level to watch any movie, and this is no different. Get beyond the less than perfect depiction of survival in the wilderness and try to see what is happening in the movie and the marvelous performance given by Jandreau.Jasmin Jandreau is phenomenal in "The Trail". The entire movie is centered around her and she really carries the movie well. The director found a jewel in Jandreau and the movie works simply based on her performance. If you watch the movie for no other reason, watch it to see her performance. It is worthy of the awards she received.The cinematography was also well done, and the movie doesn't feel low budget. The shoot location is gorgeous. I'm guessing the director is a fan of "Cast Away" as there are quite a few shots that remind me that movie. The music is also well scored and I was moved with emotion because the music plays to the emotions of the scene at hand.I really liked this movie. Yes it was a lower budget indie film, but Jandreau's performance is so fabulous, it doesn't feel low budget. This feels like a real, pure movie. It wasn't life transforming or mind blowing for me like some reviewers have said, but it is well worth watching and enjoying for what it is. I normally don't write reviews unless I am strongly moved one way or the other, and this movie deserves accolades and a positive review.

I do want to address something important here. I am a senior citizen now, a woman, but my life has been spent in the wilderness or very rural areas, just God and me. No thing in this movie is implausible - I say this from experience. When you give your entire life to God, God gives His entire Life to you. Answers come, solutions come, before I've even known there was a problem.Armchair quarterbacks a lot of you. You are city people, armchair critics. If I took your electricity, your water, all those technological marvels away from you, I can bet my last dollar you won't do any better than she did. Please understand that people have always been people. All the way back thru history there have been city people - people who do not really know how to survive in an emergency - do you think it was any different in her time?She said it herself "I am only a housewife". She had matches, she had a stove, she lived in a building, she was a teacher. You can see she was entirely dependent upon her husband......there is a saying "the little woman" and it was not a compliment.And yes, there are Angels. All around us. Do you take time to talk to them? Do you make room in your life for them? I can tell you that they are here and they will help any time you call.....Her Faith was tested. As many have had happen, when someone dies that they love, when there are hardships...these people lose a Faith they never really had. In the end.......she gets it. God IS everywhere and if you live that concept no thing really can harm you.My life has been saved so many times by God that I've lost count. Once I was in the middle of the Bridger Wilderness in Wyoming. 25 miles from civilization. My truck broke down. I asked God "I need help". I Trusted that it would come. I waited. Several hours later a truck rolled into view. At the time of year I was out there.......well, if you saw this situation in a movie, you would think "yeah sure".

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