Rick Alverson is not an ingratiating film-maker and seems to not care whether or not you follow him. He’s going to do what he’s going to do. I respect that attitude, even if sometimes I find his work exasperating. His latest, The Mountain, is, by far, his most accessible – but it’s still quite difficult and extremely depressing. These are not criticisms. I’m alienated by the demand for happy endings and progressive self-empowerment narratives. Jeff Goldblum is truly great here. I do recommend it. I reviewed The Mountain for Ebert.
