鈥淩eservation Dogs鈥 and 鈥淜illers of the Flower Moon鈥 whetted appetites for Native American stories. Lily Gladstone鈥檚 鈥淔ancy Dance鈥 and 鈥淯nder the Bridge鈥 showed what more there was to consider.
Now, there鈥檚 鈥淭he Birds Who Fear Death,鈥 a look at two brothers who go deep into northern Canada to strike a deal with the indigenous people included in their father鈥檚 will. Determined to keep their Toronto restaurant afloat, they figure they can split the money and avoid the legal fees that would lower the take for everyone.
When they get to the town named Bird, they discover a different story and learn why residents aren鈥檛 all that keen on their father.
Both Adam (Adam Beach) and Ryan (Simon Baker) realize the deal isn鈥檛 going to be easy to broker 鈥 or what they might want. Both meet and warm to residents who could change their outlook.
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Ryan, in particular, is smitten with a native woman, Constance (Tanaya Beatty), who has a son, Norman (Huxley Fisher) who can charm just about anyone. Her father, Ed (Graham Greene) is chief of the tribe and key to brokering the deal.
Adam, meanwhile, learns plenty from a council member (Caren Moore) who knows why the brothers鈥 father wasn鈥檛 exactly a local hero.
Director Sanjay Patel spills the truth in timely fashion and tells another indigenous story 鈥 one about the land they鈥檙e on 鈥 that should prompt discussion and make something like this resonate.
While staying at the Nowhere Inn, the Spence brothers meet a host of residents who let them know the 鈥30 pieces of silver鈥 lurking isn鈥檛 necessarily in their best interests. 鈥淭he Birds Who Fear Death鈥 has more than its share of funerals but much of the emotion hinges on that relationship Baker fosters with Beatty and Fisher. The boy鈥檚 first rodeo is pivotal to the story 鈥 and a real heartbreaker, particularly when you learn Norman鈥檚 fate. The always-good Greene gets a fun moment with the two, too, and makes the tribe鈥檚 side of the story wholly understandable.
While Patel gives Beach the greater focus (he鈥檚 a basketball coach who somehow leaves that concept in the dust), he doesn鈥檛 shortchange him on the drama. He gets a journey of discovery that lets the tragedy sink in and showcases Charles Hamilton鈥檚 impressive cinematography. Beach underplays and, in the process, delivers.
Details about the plight of Bird seep out. They don鈥檛 play a role until the two arrive in a place they never thought they鈥檇 stay.
Cameo performances make you want more; moments with Fisher鈥檚 Norman make you realize he鈥檚 the heart of this for both the brothers and the people of Bird.
A great look at those 鈥渙ther鈥 stories lurking on reservations, 鈥淭he Birds Who Fear Death鈥 may be long on title but it鈥檚 not short on storytelling. There鈥檚 enough here to keep you engrossed and make you want to learn more.
鈥淭he Birds Who Fear Death鈥 is currently on the film festival circuit. It features profanity and violence.
