:
Adam Beach,
Adam Beach,
Evan Adams,
more...
:
Chris Eyre,
Chris Eyre
see all cast/crew...
: 
: Miramax
: Independent, Quest, Road Movies
: 89 min.
: English
see additional details...
|
|
This dramatic feature was written, directed, and co-produced by Native Americans. Native American writer Sherman Alexie scripted this adaptation of his 1993 short story collection The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Director Chris Eyre's previous short Someone Kept Saying Powwow is incorporated into the 88-minute feature. Developed at the Sundance Lab in 1995, the film was a winner of both the Audience Award and the Filmmakers' Trophy at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. In 1976, an infant survives a fire that kills his parents. In a flash forward to the present day, the infant has grown up to become the skinny, nerdy adult Thomas (Evan Adams). At Idaho's desolate Coeur d'Alene Indian reservation, the overeager youth is mostly ignored by others, including stoic athletic Victor Joseph (Adam Beach), even though it was Victor's father, alcoholic Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer), who saved the infant Thomas' life in the fire. A drunken Arnold later abandoned his family, and Victor hasn't seen his father in a decade. When Victor learns of Arnold's death in Phoenix, Thomas offers to pay for the trip to Phoenix if he can accompany Victor. They make an odd couple since Victor is embarrassed by Thomas' geekiness. In Phoenix, they find that Arnold lived in a small trailer in the desert, and they meet Arnold's friend Suzy Song (Irene Bedard), who provides disturbing truths about Arnold that impact on Victor. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
You might also enjoy:
Skinwalkers
Chris Eyre and Adam Beach teamed up again for this excellent adaptation of the Tony Hillerman reservation-set mystery
Incident at Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story
Searing documentary about the Native American activist who may have been falsely imprisoned for murder
|
| Real life with funny parts
by lividsnails
January 23, 2005 - 5:05 PM PST
|
|
|
2 out of 4 members found this review helpful
|
Who the hell said this was a comedy??? This is no comedy! I cried all the way through it. This is real life, with funny parts. Sherman Alexie is one of the greatest writers of the 20th/21st century and he's proven himself to be a real Renaissance man. Not only did he write this screenplay version of his book but he also wrote several of the songs! (The soundtrack has others by such artists as Dar Williams and Walaila which fit as perfectly into the movie as his own.)
It's easier to pinpoint what's wrong with a bad movie than it is to pinpoint what's right with a good one. Everything's right about this movie. It overwhelmingly leaves you thinking about the reality of its story rather anything about the medium which is what good books and movies are supposed to do. That said I'll just say I overwhelmingly disagree with the previous reviews. The characters are profound and complete, non-stereotypes; the protagonist(s) evolve, the imagery is realistic and beautiful. The storyline is unscripted and original and surprising. I think Alexie 's writing is deceivingly simple and puristic on the outside but juicy and complex inside.
This is a beautiful movie.
ms.lividsnails
Read my blog: Lucky White Girl |
| reservation life deserves better
by jleeman
August 6, 2004 - 7:31 AM PDT
|
|
|
2 out of 3 members found this review helpful
|
| The humor is too gentle, and the drama too generic and predictable to save this movie from blandness. The attempts at Native American profundity and poetry fall flat, as do the reflections on father-son relations. Except for Evan Adams, the actors are unengrossing, and Suzy Song is much, much too beautiful to play the disaffected loner who loves the absentee father. But the viewing experience is redeemed by the Evan Adams character's zest for storytelling, respect for tradition, and unguarded affection for everyone he knows and meets. |
| worth a view
by maritoni
July 21, 2003 - 11:07 AM PDT
|
|
|
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful
|
decent first feature for chris eyre. sherman alexie wrote screenplay. important, groundbreaking film for the native american community.
to me, this film gives a first impression of contemporary native american life. the story is rather predictable and the characters aren't that deeply drawn, though they are refreshingly diverse (you might even say quirky, certainly non-stereotypical). the cast is likeable, especially the lead actors and somehow when i got to the end i was satisfied.
hopefully, this is just the tip of the iceberg for these talented folks. |
|
|
GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 6.90)
205 Votes
add to list 
|
|
|
Your cart
eyeswide
goodyerin
© 2006 All Media Guide, LLC. Portions of content provided by All Movie Guide®,
a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.