Four Sheets to the Wind

The Oklahoma-shot opener of this year's ImagineNative film festival is watchable, balanced in tone, and mostly looks damn good for HD. The humour works, the dialogue doesn't clunk, and the actors have some really solid moments. And though for a while I thought this was going be one of those mute-protagonist-watches-the-wacky-world-unfold jobbers which I so despise, in fact Cody Lightning's performance eventually lets us into his head. But the problems start early: key dialogue scenes play like talk shows, cutting between closeups on the line in a mechanical and distracting way. And the movie avoids melodramatic cliché not by subverting the paradigm, but by glossing over the big crying scenes via nervous montage. Why not trade in some of the staring off into space (speaking of cliché!) for some more of the detailed interaction that works so well when they've got it going? I don't think you can blame this superficiality on the budget; I think it's a lack of confidence on the part of the director, which would also explain the wall-to-wall music that eventually comes close to suffocating the movie entirely.

This carefully constructed and gritty film depicts native Americans coping with modern society however it also speaks to all of us who have suffered through a loss. It tells of some life journeys as the characters find and lose their way. I liked the way the film portrays the human condition plainly and directly and captures the realism of growing up in difficult times with psychological burdens that thread through the family's individual lives. Well done. The acting is superb and directing is a straightforward minimalist approach. There are sex scenes that are in context for the movie but may offend some viewers. The entire movie is for mature viewers. The ensemble cast just does a great job. I would recommend this film for all who crave a non Hollywood non stereotypical movie without pretense in the true style of excellent independent films.

Yes, it's an indie. Yes, it's low budget. Yes, it's a good movie. This is Sterlin Harjo's first feature length film, but you're going to hear his name in the future. Anyone who can do what he's done with this movie on a shoestring budget, filming at grandma's house, is very talented. It's an endearing tale portrayed by actors you've not heard about...some who show flashes of brilliance. If you're looking for a break from CGI laden big budget bang films, give this one a chance. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the story, the setting, the acting, and the dynamite soundtrack. I'm told it will be out on DVD sometime this winter, '07.

One of the great joys of browsing movies is coming across titles one has never heard of, just because of one person in the cast. Such discoveries can lead to great surprises, and 'Four Sheets to the Wind' is certainly one of them. This is low-key and reserved, but so very well made - and beautiful, and outright sensational.

Almost everyone in the cast has a considerable number of credits to their name, though as I haven't seen most of their films, I can't say I'm familiar with them. Yet that makes it all the more noteworthy that the assembled cast is outstanding. Cody Lightning, as protagonist Cufe Smallhill, and Jeri Arredondo and Tamara Podemski, as his mother Cora and sister Miri, all have seemingly natural acting skills that make inhabiting their roles feel effortless. It's a true joy to watch them at play, conveying every little nuance of their characters, and in scenes together they readily realize the difficult relationships between family. I right away want to see more of all their pictures.

More immediately recognizable are Christian Kane, in an unexpected small role as Miri's somewhat churlish boyfriend - and voice actor extraordinaire Laura Bailey, in a prominent supporting part as Miri's neighbor Francie. Bailey's seemingly endless credits and awards in voice work speak for themselves, but in a live-action film she carries such profound grace and poise that she lights up the screen as soon as she appears. She easily matches Lightning, Arredondo, and Podemski in capturing our attention - and one wishes Bailey would take on more film roles.

These are a lot of words that focus on the actors, but this is the essence of 'Four Sheets to the Wind': There is narrative to set the players in motion, but the greatest substance here is in the characters, their emotions, and their interactions with one another. The most loud the movie gets is in the soundtrack that, while fine and enjoyable, tends to be high in the sound mix. Otherwise this is pointedly subdued, reliant on subtle moments, expressions, and softly shifting character development. And in that peacefulness - rife with a measure of simmering tension, like a pot of water ever threatening to boil over - this is absolutely lovely.

This was only the first full-length feature film of writer-director Sterlin Harjo, but he made something utterly fantastic. While broaching topics of poverty and depression, he purposefully avoids stereotypes that define indigenous characters in so many other pictures. The characters feel very real and part of our world even as the narrative is remarkably, deliberately, brilliantly understated. Any comparison I could make falls by the wayside as attention is so singularly focused on the marvel before me.

And it's all tied together by a stellar cast that exceeds any expectations I may have possibly had.

To stumble across this basically by happenstance has been an utmost pleasure. It's an exquisite, captivating, charming, discreetly emotional movie. I don't know what more to say without repeating myself, except for that I wish only that it were longer. 'Four Sheets to the Wind' is phenomenal, highly recommended for all viewers.

Awesome acting skills in this movie! I'm originally from Oklahoma so it's nice to see natives representing Oklahoma.

It is a great combination of laughter and sadness all wrapped into one great movie.

From a male perspective, the females in this movie are hot.

I think Thalia Twins is the hottest one of them all! This movie is going to be a great x-mas present for all my native friends.

I hope to see more films like this in the future. I hope to see Thalia Twins in more films as well. I am recommending this movie everyone.

Two thumbs up!