HottWwjdIam
There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.
SanEat
A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."
Jenna Walter
The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
Payno
I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
darrellwatchman
I found DRUNKTOWNS FINEST DVD at the Window Rock flea market and purchased it from Ms. Freeland. I was impressed by the involvement of Robert Redford as the executive producer. I didn't know what to expect and asked Ms. Freeland if this was another genre type of movie about modern Navajos, e.g. TURQUOISE ROSE. After watching the opening of DF movie I found it to be what I expected. What the movie doesn't touch on is the violence and death experienced by young Navajo transgender male and/or females. There are many unsolved beatings and murders of transgender male/females on the Navajo rez and in the border towns and it seems like no one cares to follow up. In closing, it's not your average genre type of movie about modern Navajos.
Hellmant
'DRUNKTOWN'S FINEST': Three Stars (Out of Five)Low budget indie drama flick about three troubled Native American youths, living on an Indian reservation, who struggle to build new lives for themselves. The film was written and directed by first time feature filmmaker Sydney Freeland and stars a trio of newcomers; Jeremiah Bitsui, Carmen Moore and Morningstar Angeline. The movie premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was later picked up, for release, by the Sundance Film Channel. I found it's mini budget to be very showing at times but I also found the film to be a well-intentioned, and somewhat insightful, character study.The story revolves around three very different young Native Americans, all living on the same Indian reservation. Sickboy (Bitsui) is a young father-to-be, who's had a decent amount of trouble with the law and excessive alcohol consumption. He's joining the military so he can provide for his family, through an honest living for once. Felixia (Moore) is a transvestite who makes a living selling his body. He desperately wants to leave town and start a modeling career. Nizhoni (Angeline) is an adopted Christian girl, who spends most of her time doing community service and wants nothing more than to learn who her real parents are.The movie obviously has a lot of heart and seems to be a realistic telling of what life is like for troubled youths, living with a scarce amount of resources, on an Indian reservation. If the filmmaker (Freeland) had more resources himself, I'm sure this could have been a much better movie. As it is, the acting is very weak, sometimes painfully bad, and the script could have used at least a few more rewrites. It's hard not to be at least somewhat impressed with the good intentions of Freeland and the cast and crew, though.Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://youtu.be/0zeoVbvkuAA
bbickley13-921-58664
At certain points it seem the movie was trying too hard to prove that Navajos are just like everyone else, but I liked that. You rarely see movies about Native Americans just living their lives day to day. It's mostly their culture being exploited and over- exaggerated to give it the same myth and legend of the Greek Gods or something. The movie tells three stories of three different Navajos. A street kid who joins uncle Sam's army to help his growing family, financial, but is struggling to stay off the streets. A beautiful tyranny attempting a modeling career, and a adapted Navajo trying to over come the fear of what her parents told her about her own people in order to find her birth parents.What I love most about this movie was that it was so down to Earth. I feel I got the best portrait of this culture, that I've never seen in any other movie.We all of the same story, but we all tell it different. absolutely recommend.
Houston_Curtis
Sydney Freeland has written and directed an incredible film in Drunktown's Finest. Set in a small native American town, Freeland carefully and cinematically weaves viewers in and out of the lives of three young people who are all struggling with the confinement of small town life in a Native American territory. While the backdrop of the film might be decidedly niche given its Native American setting, the message to Drunktown's Finest is ultimately broad and very relatable to anyone who has ever undergone the struggle of trying to break free from the roots of a small town in order to find a better life for their family or find out who they really are. On the flip side, the film also relates to that person who is searching for his or her roots and wanting to know where they came from.The writing and directing show us that Sydney Freeland is a true emerging talent. Her cinematic eye combined with her delicate and moving story telling ability draws you into the film from the first frame and never lets you go! The character development is spot on and the acting is superb from the three lead characters right down to those who deliver just a single line. All in all, Drunktown's Finest is a film that grabs your heart, takes you on a fascinating ride and ultimately leaves you simply feeling good about being alive. How often can we say that after leaving the theater these days? If you like a good movie that stays with you long after the film is over....then you will LOVE Drunktown's Finest.