In the opening scene of
Four Sheets to the Wind, a twenty-something guy gently pushes the lifeless body of an old man into a lake. Beautiful and more subtle than it sounds, this sets the tone for the story of a young man wanting to find a new world.
Cody Lightning does a wonderful job portraying Cufe, who finds his father has taken a lethal overdose of pills. After respecting his father’s wishes of a lake burial, then putting on a fake funeral for everyone else, Cufe decides its time to hit big city Tulsa and try a new landscape for a while. Moving in with his partying sister (
Tamara Podemski), he bumps into her cute neighbor girl (
Laura Bailey) who may be the best thing that’s happened to him.
Equal parts drama, comedy and romance, the film’s very modest production lets the solid script shine through. The characters are Native American, as is talented writer/director
Sterlin Harjo, a member of the Seminole and Creek nations. He has said the film is not autobiographical, but the story has a realistic feel.
Why does Cufe want to leave his hometown? Besides his father passing away, his mother has an old friend around who tries to relate by describing himself as a “half-breed.” His shrink lets him he know he has dated Indian girls himself. His sister, trying to find fun in partying, has a boyfriend who makes Indian jokes. All of this atmosphere helps Cufe starts to fall for the neighbor girl – she’s the only one who doesn’t make any Native references and just talks to him like a person. Well, and she’s really cute and cool.
The film premiered at Sundance 2007 after going through their filmmaking workshops. The acting by everyone in the film is great – staying subtle and realistic. The small romance works as it’s not an indie film about singles in Manhattan, nor a forced courtship between megastar actors. Although it benefits from the interesting Native American background, it is really a film about people trying to adapt with change while keeping family ties together. This could be any young man leaving his home looking for understanding, and is really universal.
Available Nov 6, released by First Look Pictures, $26.98.
# posted by Mike Plante @ 11/05/2007 08:33:00 PM
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