War Pony

War Pony is a film that impresses with its grounded, authentic portrayal of life on a Native American reservation. The film excels in creating a vivid, immersive experience, capturing the everyday struggles and triumphs of its characters with a raw, unfiltered lens. The performances are sincere and compelling, bringing a deep sense of realism to the story.

One of the film's greatest strengths is its commitment to authenticity. The depiction of cultural and social issues feels genuine, and the attention to detail in portraying the community's challenges adds a layer of depth to the narrative. The cinematography complements this grounded approach, with naturalistic visuals that enhance the film's immersive quality.

However, despite its strengths, War Pony can be a bit tedious and slow-moving. The film's deliberate pace might test your patience, as it takes its time to develop its characters and plot. While this slow pace allows for in-depth character exploration, it can also make the narrative feel drawn-out at times. Some viewers might find the lack of a strong central plot arc to be a drawback, as the film's episodic nature means that it often meanders without a clear direction.

Overall, War Pony is a heartfelt and authentic film that offers a nuanced look at life on the reservation. Its grounded approach and strong performances are commendable, but the slow pace and episodic storytelling may not appeal to everyone. It's a film that rewards patience and provides a deep, albeit sometimes meandering, glimpse into its world.

Where the film succeeds is in this ability to make us feel on a dramatic ridge flirting with the precipice. Continuously: the resourcefulness, the negotiation, the daily quest for the right plan, for the money to find for the moment or the one after. Each individual linked to the other, By necessity or tradition. On one side, the comfort of the community, on the other its permanent violence, like two sides of the same coin. Drama can arise from every shot. Everything is survival and misery, but everything is also beauty and kindness. Anything could happen, But in the end we are left with motherly love.

There was a great deal to take in regarding this film. My favorite part, which so reminded me of the last scene of FRESH, was when Bill asks Matho if he likes coffee and his answer so expertly and tenderly reveals his inner self and the growth still destined to take place for the two main characters.

Throughout the film their two stories seem intertwined and similar yet as the film extends we see that their trajectories are almost opposite (trying to ascend and trying not to descend) and yet destined to collide, inescapably predictable and refreshingly vulnerable as if one of them may actually be able to overcome the circumstances of their situations only to see that neither can quite generate enough speed to actually take flight.

The film is unapologetic, accurate, true to life on the Rez, and creates many moments that are excruciating to watch. The slow burn fuse in the storytelling is appropriate and effective, could it have moved faster...perhaps, but it gave me a similar vibe to MANCHESTER BY THE SEA and how the film just didn't want to, didn't let you, look away. And it shouldn't. Many great moments, great performances, excellent symbolism, and a plain and raw quality that spoke volumes of truth about human nature, the abject poverty of what is easily considered third world conditions of the reservations in South Dakota, the desperation, the hustling, the utter lack of opportunities, the loss of culture and language, and the blurry delicate lines that must be negotiated for survival and to get one's self even a little bit ahead. I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Not at all uplifting, but definitely makes you think, feel, and need/want to talk to someone what about it. It's a good one!!

This starts off as quite an interesting observation of two young men growing up on the Pine Ridge reservation for the Oglala Lakota tribe in rural Dakota. It principally centres on the young "Bill" (JoJo Bapteise Whiting) who is juggling two girlfriends, two young children, and aspirations to buy and breed a rather mangy looking poodle! When he happens by a successful farmer whose car has broken down by the side of the road, he sees a way to make some extra cash. The two men click and pretty soon "Bill" is packaging turkey jerky by the bucketload! Meantime, the younger "Matho" (LaDainian Crazy Thunder) has been thrown out of his father's home after he and his pals compromised his cocaine business by adding a little epsom salts to their distribution network! Both stories see the men and their friends and families trying to get by in a community that seems to exist for the sake of it. Poodles notwithstanding, there seems little structure to their lives nor much point to anything. Opportunities are sparse and family loyalties only appear to endure when convenient. It's actually quite a depressing story that I couldn't help wonder might not have been worthy of watching at all, had it not been for the native American aspects to the production and plot. Despite that increasingly prevailing downbeat theme, there is something likeable about Whiting's characterisation of the wayward "Bill" - a man who does seem to at least want to escape the relentlessness of their existence. The ending is weak, though, and frankly really quite daft and as an whole, the film does drag a bit across the two hours of rather soporifically scored, slowly paced, drama. It's worth a watch, but it's not great.

My mother was 1/2 Oglala Sioux and 1/2 Menominee. She married my father who was German and French. She was raised in Standing Rock Rez until she was 8. I was raised as WASP as they come but always relish my American Indian heritage.

While I understand that this is only a movie but seeing as how it's kind of in a documentary format I wish it would have included some good realities that are there as well. The repsentation of the realities seem a little sku'd.

The movie was so disappointing because it didn't show the hope that's available to them on the reservations. It lacks the folks who are Ogalala that are the good ones with integrity. Yeah it showed us the way of life by the majority... or so we think... because frankly we don't know the truth because we're not there. But there were some very good people on the Rez - my great grandpa being one of them - He was the last Chief of the Sioux Oglala - Old Thunder. He was a great man and wrote a book talking about his life and how he shared hope with all he worked with on the Rez.