Drunktown's Finest

I'm definitely looking forward to [director Sydney] Freeland's future movies, and I'll take stories like these over polished, generously backed documentaries any day.

Freeland does reveal their omnipresent struggle to preserve identity, tradition and pride within a culture and a value system marginalized by the rest of the country.

Freeland's conventional yet credible portrait of identity crises on the reservation covers familiar ground (alcoholism, poverty) while warmly exploring contemporary issues rarely filmed within the diverse community.

The performances here are generally unrefined, with most of the actors-including Wilson and Moore-barely going beyond rote line readings.

"Rather than dispel stereotypes [about Native Americans], Freeland spins them into moving human drama, achieving a delicate balancing act between heartbreaking realism and sincere optimism."

At most times, the movie feels quite intimate and honest.

For anyone familiar with the world in which these three have been raised, this will be a film that will leave quite the impact.

A feature debut for Freeland, the director carefully constructs a story that avoids many of the stigmas and stereotypes of Native life, yet still portrays the real challenges Native people face.

It's an afternoon soap that is one character too large and fifteen minutes too long.

Overall, it's a goodhearted movie that you want to root for.