Robin Wright has made a career out of performances that are quietly intense and reflective, so it is no surprise that her her directorial debut “Land” is along those same lines.

This is an effective film about grief and loss and mourning with Wright and Demián Bichir providing two solid performances to anchor the emotion.

In “Land” Wright plays Edee, whose response to a personal tragedy is to move to a remote cabin in Wyoming and completely drop off the grid.

Her quest for personal peace gets off to a rocky start, as Edee’s limited survival skills proves to be no match for the harsh wilderness she now calls home. Near death, Edee is saved by a local hunter named Miguel (Bichir).

The rescue turns into a friendship, with Edee soon learning that Miguel has also experienced personal tragedy similar to her – a bond that only strengthens their friendship and allows Edee to perhaps begin to heal.

Wright keeps it simple with the film clocking in at a brisk 89 minutes. As a director she relies on the basics – breathtaking cinematography from Bobby Bukowski, a beautiful score from Ben Sollee and Time for Three and a simple, yet emotional screenplay from Jesse Chatham and Erin Dignam.

Wright’s decision to keep her main character’s backstory a bit of a mystery works for the most part – but it does perhaps take away some of the dramatic effect of the early scenes.

When it is just Wright “Land” is a little more spotty, but Bichir brings balance to the story – and a perspective that allows the story to advance to an ending with an emotional conclusion that really ties everything together quite nicely.

“Land” is  the kind of emotional arc one has come to expect from a Wright performance – establishing that she is just as talented behind the camera.

Starring: Robin Wright, Demián Bichir

Directed by: Robin Wright

Rating: PG-13 for thematic content, brief strong language, and partial nudity

Playing at: Now playing in select theaters in Nashville

Grade: B