At this point in her career, Kelly Reichardt has more than proven herself as one of the essential cinematic voices of her generation. Over the past quarter of a century, she has told intimate and personal stories that are guided by her distinctly human approach to storytelling, being a pioneer of minimalist cinema, and one of the great revolutionaries of the current independent film movement. She is quintessentially herself, which has made every one of her films feel so authentic and compelling, since they are handcrafted by someone whose perspective is truly valuable and insightful, even in ways that may be quite surprising. Her most recent film is proof that she is able to slightly venture out of her comfort zone, while still maintaining the impeccable quality of work she has been doing for all these years, which is always the sign of a truly great filmmaker. Throughout the course of Showing Up, Reichardt is expressing herself through the story of an artist – one who is hyperfocused on creativity and experimenting with her style, not unlike the director herself – preparing for an art show that may change the course of her entire career, with the week leading up to the event being plagued with personal and professional problems, many of the people in her life posing challenges that serve to be obstacles in her efforts to reach that deadline, and in the process she learns more about herself and her artistic ambitions than ever before. Simple and evocative, and made by someone who has always been motivated by the desire to create work that says something not only about her own curiosities as an artist, but her entire existential viewpoint, Showing Up is a stunning achievement, a charming and bitingly funny examination of a range of intriguing themes, all tenderly pieced together by a director whose fascination with certain ideas has resulted in countless masterful excursions into the human condition, of which this is one of the most thorough and meaningful.

For most of her career, Reichardt has been known to make films that fit into the very specific category of being social realist dramas, simple stories of the human condition that are quiet and subdued and usually focus on smaller moments and interactions. It was surprising to discover that she was seemingly changing course by setting out to make a comedy – most of her films did have a few moments of subtle humour, but these were incidental and usually not all that defining of the work as a whole, certainly not enough to make it seem like she was ever willing to make something more humorous. To be clear, Showing Up isn’t an outrageous, riotously funny film that is perpetually provoking laughter, but rather it is still made within Reichardt’s usual subtle method, which has just been reconfigured to be more comedically-toned, while keeping with her minimalist style. She is certainly adept at inserting some bursts of humour into her work, even if this film isn’t particularly funny in the way we may necessarily expect. Most of the humour is drawn from the slightly awkward situations in which the protagonist finds herself – she is slowly starting to feel the pressure of her exhibition and the impending deadline, but rather than view this through heightening tension, the director chooses to examine it through the irreverent little details that occur in between the big moments, which are surprisingly very funny, and far more charming than we initially expect. Showing Up does employ a more gentle and quiet approach to its humour, and the comedy is far more intricately woven in between the silent moments of reflection, which demonstrate that humour isn’t always about the set-up or the punchline, but rather the consistent sense of unease and frustration felt by this character as she constantly runs into various obstacles. The best way to describe what this film achieves is capturing the amusing joy that comes with gazing at the human condition, which can be pleasant under the right directorial approach, which is most certainly the case with this film.

Whenever the subject of Michelle Williams emerges in conversation, many feel compelled to bring up the belief that she has done her absolute best work under Reichardt’s direction, and even those who are slightly more agnostic to her acting style in most projects will usually be in agreement that there is something about these collaborations that bring out the very best in Williams, which continues with Showing Up, which contains yet another astonishing performance from one of Reichardt’s most consistent collaborators. The part of Lizzy does not seem particularly complex in theory – she is a hardworking artist dedicated to her craft, and who does her absolute best to maintain her sanity when encountering a variety of challenges. Yet, Williams commits so thoroughly to the role, it becomes one of her very best performances, each moment being detailed and compelling, as if she is doing everything possible to inhabit every aspect of this character, which draws on her ability to play such a subtle, delicate character that may always feel as if she is on the verge of a breakdown, but has an ironclad willfulness that keeps her active and engaging. Williams is joined by an extraordinary cast, perhaps the best Reichardt has assembled yet, with the likes of Judd Hirsch, Maryann Plunkett, André Benjamin (who is doing double-duty as the film’s resident floutist), John Magaro and the always brilliant Hong Chau being unforgettable in the various supporting roles that populate this film. Showing Up may be focused on the character of Lizzy, but it is far from limited to only her perspective. This film works the best if we view it as a tapestry of characters, a variety of well-constructed individuals woven into the fabric of the story – some of them may be more important than others on a narrative level, but in terms of tone, they all contribute to creating this subtle and affecting atmosphere, which plays directly into Reichardt’s intentions to create something detailed in relation to the intricate nature of the human condition, which she views as the foundation for this charming, wonderfully eccentric comedy.

However, as much as we can view Showing Up as a comedically-tinged character study, there is a lot more to the film than initially meets the eye, which is a common trait for Reichardt’s work, which is never solely restricted to only a single subject. While some of her previous films have examined subjects as broad as the American Dream or the economic struggles of those who exist on the margins of society, this film looks at something slightly more simple, but not any less impactful. While prior works do occasionally touch on the theme, Showing Up is an examination of what it means to be an artist, which is something that Reichardt is extremely interested in exploring, as reflected in her own personal statements around her impulses and curiosities as a visual storyteller. Granted, this film is set within a slightly different sector of the art world than the one in which the director works, but it still investigates the trials and tribulations of someone who is constantly seeking answers to her own artistic questions, working laboriously to express herself through her chosen medium, all the while facing existential quandaries that I think come to any of us who are artistically-minded, or even those who have set out to express themselves in a tangible format. Considering the breadth of what she is exploring here, it is surprising that Reichardt chose to make Showing Up a work defined by its humour, which is an unexpected but very smart choice, since it allows this film to become an observational comedy about the joys of creation, and the disappointment that comes when an artist realizes that the outside world is not as easily pliable as the work they produce in their studio, and that it can’t be as rapidly manipulated and reformatted to match our vision, which is a stark realization that many tend to only learn quite late in their lives, by which point they may have already resigned to their fate of being always on the outskirts of social conventions, which is certainly not as bad a place to reside, as shown through this film’s wonderful and eclectic depiction of the lives of artists.

Showing Up is an extremely gentle film, one that never feels as if it needs to heighten the tension or express itself in bursts of overwrought emotion, even if this subject matter has been explored through such a filter in the past. This may just be the perfect entry-point for those looking to explore Reichardt’s work, since it is certainly one of her most accessible films in terms of easing the prospective viewer into her style without it being jarring, since even though her films are quite simple, they tend to be relatively bleak and subdued on first impression, and it takes some time to realize their immense humanity. That is not a factor here, as we see the true scope of this story right from the very beginning, which comes through in those well-placed moments of humour, which exist to establish a quirky but meaningful tone, which will recur throughout the film, moments of humour being placed where we may not necessarily expect them to reside, but certainly are welcome additions to an already delightful and endearing film. Driven by a story that is as meaningful as it is endearing, Showing Up examines the lives of artists who go about their daily routine, drawing inspiration from the outside world, which is often a sub-conscious process that we only notice once we step back and perceive the true scope of influence that comes from these unexpected sources. It is very funny, and has a humility and charm that defines the very framework of what is a surprisingly deep and profound meditation on the process of creation. Reichardt is an absolute genius, and while this may seem like a relatively minor work, there is a depth that drives the film, and one that constantly develops on itself in surprising ways. This is all done until we are left with this warm, endearing and thought-provoking comedy that does not mistake its humour for flippancy, instead choosing to examine and celebrate the world of art, which has been so carefully curated by the director throughout this truly exceptional and wonderfully charming work of pure artistically resonant bliss.