As an American aware of our troubled past with Native American history and the founding of our nation, I was not as familiar with Canada's own racist background.
Surrounding the real life standoff between the government and the native population of Quebec around the construction of a golf course on Indian burial ground is the backdrop of a parellel story of a young girl growing up in the midst of chaos.
Kiawentiio is the actress in the lead role and she is magnificent in the part. Her hard driving mother only wants the best for her, including her attendance at a mostly white school.
She meets a neighbor who attempts to toughen her up and they form an unlikely friendship.
I recommend this film as a good educational tool and for the lead performance.
Plot summary
Twelve-year-old Beans is on the edge: torn between innocent childhood and reckless adolescence; forced to grow up fast and become the tough Mohawk warrior she needs to be during the Oka Crisis, the turbulent Indigenous uprising that tore Quebec and Canada apart for 78 tense days in the summer of 1990.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
August 30, 2023 at 03:34 PM
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU 720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
Canadian Troubles
Best movie of 2020
Seriously, this movie blew me away. Kiawentiio may be very young, but her talent feels beyond her years. Also some other familiar faces Paulina Alexis and D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai from Reservation Dogs. Literally lightning in a bottle casting for this debut film by Tracey Deer. So much that I cant imagine her ever topping this and yet she most definitely will. I was fortunate enough to see it virtually during its festival circuit, but now that it's available for purchase, I've bought it and rewatched already. This is just the kind of movie that reminds you why you love movies! And being someone who has forgotten for a while, it's a breath of fresh air to remember.
coming-of-age in intense history
Set against the backdrop of the Oka crisis, Beans is a respectful Mohawk teenager applying to go to an exclusive private school. She tries to find her way with new friends as the external situation heats up around her.
It's a compelling coming of age story and a compelling true history story. It's the marrying of the two that the film does struggle from time to time. It feels like the movie is trying to hit all the points of the crisis. Each incident is specifically linked to the real world footage. I don't know if this is based on a real person. I do sense a writer connecting the dots of the story. Beans is a compelling character and she has quite a personal journey. This is a compelling film.