Medicine River

Carries "Medicine River" on his considerable acting talent. He is surrounded with interesting characters, and the scenery is quite beautiful. Unfortunately the storyline is predictable and redundant, which seriously weakens the film. The basketball angle is both not believable, and poorly staged as well. The love angle is both frustrating and unresolved, leaving the viewer somewhat perplexed. The missing brother who never materializes is another unanswered question left dangling uncomfortably. The entire movie just sort of meanders along to a very underwhelming conclusion. There is no violence, no nudity, and quite honestly very little story. - MERK

I thought this film to be quite good since it had an all star cast in it. I really liked the storyline plot where Graham Greene was told to go back to Alberta for his mom's funeral but couldn't make it. As a result he was weeks late for it and wanted to stay a lot longer since he felt really bad about missing his mom's funeral, and what was so funny about it was that everyone in the community was coming up with ways to keep him there as long as they can.

However I think this film should have been made as a drama rather than a comedy because when a film like this starts off on a serious note such as someone getting notified that their mother had recently passed away, I think that would be reason enough for a film like this to be considered as a drama.

But......... anyways........... this is why I gave this film a 5 out of 10.

"Medicine River" is a very moving picture. It follows Will Horse Capture (Graham Greene), a Metis man, on his journey of self-discovery, as he returns to his hometown following the death of his mother. Along the way, through the help of friend Harlen Bigbear (Tom Jackson) and others, he is slowly re-introduced to many townspeople and tribal elders. This movie is beautifully scripted and acted.

I was very excited when I heard there was a film adaptation of Thomas King's novel. Particularly as it starred Graham Greene and Tom Jackson both of whom I adore. I was very disappointed once I saw the film. The book is very light-hearted and has a mood and atmosphere that the film really didn't capture. And the film's story ended up being very far removed from the novel's which is a big reason that the comedy seems to have been lost.

I don't completely blame the screenwriter. From the novel it would have been very difficult to put together a film script. It was really more a series of vignettes. There is a through line but I'm not sure it was strong enough to sustain a film. Where it would have worked very well is in television. I think that the mistake here was the choice of medium.

I really enjoyed this film. It has a northern flair and friendly pace. Don't expect an action thriller though. This is a warm film emphasizing the role of community in ones search for himself. It wonderfully illustrates the native American community in a positive and accurate light.