Wendy and Lucy is a 2008 American drama film directed by Kelly Reichardt. Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond adapted the screenplay from Raymond's short story "Train Choir". The film had its world première at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and was screened at several additional film festivals before receiving a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 10, 2008.

Plot

Wendy Carroll (Michelle Williams) is a young woman who sets her sights on Alaska in hopes of starting a new life with her dog Lucy, traveling in her car with limited supplies and a straining budget of a little over $500 left for the trip. Several obstacles impede her progress, forcing her to confront her increasingly dire financial situation. Stranded in Oregon when her car breaks down and lacking the funds to repair it, Wendy faces yet another challenge when she is apprehended for shoplifting and Lucy disappears while she is in police custody. She finally learns she was taken to the local pound and adopted and decides that is better than anything she could offer the dog herself, so she gathers up her belongings and hops on a freight train headed north, leaving Lucy behind.