SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

RyothChatty ridiculous rating

Blucher One of the worst movies I've ever seen

Sammy-Jo Cervantes There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

sherimunroe Every Canadian needs to watch this movie to learn of Canada's actual history towards the Indigenous people or as I would say "The First People" of this country. Perhaps if people watched this movie they would get a better understanding of what the government has done to generations of Canada's First People.

theunknownfactorx I knew alot about the residential schools before watching this movie. I really like how this movie was directed. It showed the true horrors of the residential system maybe not in full detail, but close enough. I like how the only seemly good person turned out to be the worst person in Sauls life. Showing this clip at the end of the movie was perfect. It really makes it stick into the audiences head what these poor unfortunate souls went through/ still go through. I'm glad this movie was made.

gizmomogwai I actually had a chance to meet Richard Wagamese very shortly before he died; he was an inspirational figure. I knew he had written novels about the residential school experience. Soon we're going to get the great Canadian film about the tragedy, but so far there haven't been many attempts. Indian Horse seemed like a promising candidate, but falls short.In ways a sports movie as much (or more) than a story about the residential schools, Indian Horse rarely rises above TV movie-level in its direction. There are some great shots- the first glimpse of the nun coldly looking down on the children, flashbacks when toys are being thrown onto the ice and how these toys blend into the memories- but these are few. The film starts off with a strong look at the cruelties of the school under Catholic control, but veers from that. (Incidentally, Canada's association of Catholic bishops recently released a letter denying involvement in residential schools. This is a blatant lie, or put in their words, bearing false witness under God). Part of the drift away from a strong film involves the less-than-stellar performance of Ajuawak Kapashesit. This is a decent film, but we should be looking for more.

maurice yacowar Dolby Sound is a vital force in this film. The narrative is framed - beginning and end - by unseen people around the theatre speaking as if before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. That was established to explore Canada's historic abuse of its indigenous citizens - from the notorious Catholic schools to the current injustice in the treatment of natives, especially the women. When the film narrative unfurls it's the hero's own long and cripplingly suppressed story of his suffering. The surround sound voices put us in the committee, make us a witness and potentially a sharer of the speaker's horrid experience. That stereo adds to the immediacy of Richard Wagamese's source novel. The story is so riveting and the social predicament it exposes so compelling that one can suspend ordinary judgments upon such things as the acting, the narrative rhythm, the emotional manipulation. The cause justifies the means. All three actors who play Saul at various ages hold us, from the child's innocence through the adolescent's promising success to the adult's defeat. The climactic revelation of the six-year-old's exploitation provides an unexpected and summary shock. Wagamese celebrates Canada's indigenous culture and spirituality in the face of its national oppression. The film does both his fine work and Canada's shame justice.