Frybread Face and Me

Frybread Face and Me is a spiritual awakening for little Benny, caught between the divorce of his parents and trying to find where he fits in the universe. He learns the Navaho way of life thanks to his cousin Dawn, (she played a wonderful role), his 'bull riding' and sheep herding uncle Marvin and most of all, the two females who played major roles in his native awakening. The Grandmother is the central spiritual leader and family matriarch, while Lucy tries to meld together each of the individual personalities in this film. Also included are an aunt and uncle, and their very young baby, who laughs for the first time thanks to Benny.

If you're looking for a drama film, this isn't it. However, if you want to learn and enjoy the path Benny and his cousin Dawn embark on together that summer, this is a film you will appreciate.

Although I am not Navajo Indian, I grew up right on the edge of the Rez. As a child, I never appreciated the beauty of the land and its people, only desiring to leave it behind. The sights and sounds of this movie actually gave me the gift of understanding how much my life was affected by the People and their way of life. It was powerful in its slow simplicity.

My graduating class in 1980 was 95% Dine' and only 45 of the 60 Seniors graduated. I wish I had been able to appreciate the honor I was given to live among - and visit with these beautiful people. I am proud that my brother married a Dine' and have four beautiful children whose Navajo mother and her family did their best to teach that serenity and culture to those youngsters.

Highly recommend, a very poignant look at reservation life in Arizona. This touching, coming of age film was well scripted and set in a very realistic, simple and honest way. The relationships were sometimes harsh but felt true, really it reminded me of spending time with my Granny as a young boy.

I never knew native people celebrated a baby's first laugh, wishing we had done something like that with our children. I'll definitely be doing that for my grandkids one day.

Side note - The other thing my wife & I thought was kinda cool is that we've been to the gas station in that movie 4-5 times when we were traveling in the RV.

I appreciate the movie focusing on the slice of life concepts on the Native American culture as rarely movies have explored this culture and aspect. Regarding as a whole, the movie isn't perfect but it's sweet and solid coming-of-age narrative about a Native American kid spending the summer at his grandma's house on a Navajo reservation with strong direction, solid performances and nice camerawork.

The camerawork is good on showing the atmosphere and the writing, while it's predictable and simple, does offer some interesting aspects on the Native American culture. The performances, while some of the performances are inconsistent, were mainly solid. The soundtrack is fine and some dialogue moments were a bit messy. It's definitely not perfect but the director does have a lot of heart in this story which is visible throughout.

Overall, not perfect but it's a heart-warming and sweet. Good for a watch.

I laughed, I cried, and I throughly enjoyed this film. Wonderful performances, beautiful cinematography, and heartfelt dialogue. Every scene worked. The child actors were so good, I want to see more from them.

I was drawn into the story from the opening. The camera work was so well done, it never felt intrusive. The acting was spot on and the look of the film made the whole thing feel authentic. I appreciated the narration, it moved the story without being over-handed.

I appreciate that this is a film for everyone in the family. It has a beautiful message of love and respect. The importance of knowing where you come from, traditions, and loving the characters that are your family.

This is a film I will definitely watch again.