Cathrina Krab

Yesterday I saw “Wendy and Lucy,” the movie starring Michelle Williams and a dog (perhaps unsurprisingly, Will Oldham is also in it briefly). Michelle Williams plays a young girl, Wendy, who is trying to drive from Indiana to Alaska so that she can work at one of the canneries in Ketchikan. She has very little money (I think she starts out with like $600 or so) and is accompanied by her dog, Lucy. Her car breaks down in Oregon, where the action of the film is set. Her money dwindles. Complications ensue.

Ok, so this movie is actually pretty great — Michelle Williams is very believable, the dog is cute, the mood and pacing are terrific, etc. Except. Except that about two-thirds of the way in, it suddenly occurred to me that with $500 or $600 Wendy could have FLOWN to Alaska very easily. They probably could have put the dog in that pet cargo part of the plane, too.

I looked this up on kayak.com just to be sure — if you left in a couple weeks, you could fly from Indianapolis to Juneau, Alaska for about $470. In fact, if you flew directly to Ketchikan, the plane ticket would cost you $370. Even with taxes, ride to the airport, etc., Wendy would still have enough cash for some snacks and a ride to the canneries from the airport. Obviously this would not be a nonstop flight, but Wendy pretty much has all the time in the world, so I don’t think it would bother her.

I’m not trying to be one of those people who annoyingly points out the tiny logical flaws in every movie, but since the entire plot revolves around Wendy’s ability to get to Alaska, I have to say that I couldn’t remain emotionally involved with the movie once I thought of that.

And no, kayak.com did not pay me to write this. Although I think a “Wendy and Lucy” tie-in would make for a great kayak.com commercial.  You know, in a sellout-y kind of way.