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In the summer of 1990, an indigenous uprising tears Quebec and Canada apart. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Beans is torn between her two identities— an innocent child, and a fierce Mohawk warrior. In the 78 turbulent days of the Oka Crisis, Beans must resolve the crisis arising within herself.
When Beans works, it resonates deeply. And when it doesn’t, it’s not a tragedy – just evidence of a filmmaker finding what works for her voice and vision, and what might work better for an anticipated follow-up.
Violence becomes both a weapon and a tool throughout the proceedings while words do the same since both must sometimes be wielded as the former in order to be successful as the latter.
In Beans, Deer has transformed the most painful experience of her life into a vital human story, while holding an unflinching mirror up to the racism and discrimination indigenous communities still face to this day.
With its coming-of-age and its historical context, Beans concerns ideas of pain and conflict, but it’s too timid to really engage those ideas, to honor their discomfort aside from how horrific discrimination is (a few scenes of the family being ambushed by racist Canadian citizens are upsetting, but played too directly for tears).
Deer has made a richly-detailed debut feature about an ugly piece of Canadian history, and it’s to her credit that she lets young heroine see the escalation from both sides, and lets the viewer see what this does to her.
Mohawk director Tracey Deer, who lived through the violent 78-day conflict as a 12-year-old, has made a film that's eye-opening. Beyond her firsthand understanding of indigenous people's struggles, she's keenly attuned to girlhood growing pains — well captured in the expressive and engaging performance by Kiawentiio, leading a strong cast.
Beans is an ambitious film that, for the most part, works. It extends its efforts to reach a larger audience, but the story it tells is easy to admire.
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WHAT ARE CRITICS SAYING?
Film Threat by Alex Saveliev
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) by Barry Hertz
The Film Stage by Jared Mobarak
IndieWire by Jude Dry
The A.V. Club by Katie Rife
RogerEbert.com by Nick Allen
Movie Nation by Roger Moore
TheWrap by Ronda Racha Penrice
The Hollywood Reporter by Sheri Linden
Original-Cin by Thom Ernst