Now and Forever
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Movie Reviews of Now and Forever
Movie Review: Now and Forever is such an AMAZINGLY sacred little piece of Native American filmmaking, despite its low-budget.
Summary: 5 Stars
Now THIS is what I call one of the most powerful and most compellingly moving coming-of-age love stories I have ever, ever seen in Native American cinema, despite the film's initial low-budget look. I personally found the performances by both Adam Beach (playing John Myron) and Mia Kirshner (playing Angela Wilson) to be so rather captivating, so powerfully gripping, and so, so true on a much more human level... especially when it came to the slowly blossoming and increasingly intimate romance between the two of them, despite their completely different racial backgrounds. I was definitely blown away indeed, and what wonderful chemistry they produce in one another, too!!!
And I DEFINITELY LOVED the way that this movie immediately overcame and just totally abolished the all-too-popular racial ethnic stereotypes between the whites and Native Americans that we have seen probably way too much of from Hollywood since our youths, and that is so brilliantly refreshing for a film like this!!!
Another thing I so especially and genuinely admired about "Now and Forever" is that it seriously and quite unapologetically embraces and honors Native American traditions as well as its amazing spirituality as it cuts REAL deep into the core center of its great spiritual power indeed, all without any filters or compromises whatsoever. And I thought Gordon Tootoosis -- playing such an excellent wise-man known as Ghost Fox (who is also John Myron's father as well) -- did really a fantastic, fantastic job in enabling us deeply to cherish these most sacred traditions indeed, both in dialogue and in his amazingly convincing acting as well... especially in the middle of the central romance between John and Angela also!!
BUT, what really took me by *complete* surprise and elevated this whole film all the way into a rather special piece of Native American filmmaking for me personally in addition was the most compelling way that it deals with and especially overcomes the sexual trauma of Angela that took place since she was suddenly being brutally raped and betrayed in a motel by that creepy lying slimebag of a man that she dated known as T.J. Bolt (played by Gabriel Olds), and replaces such horrific scars with such truest and much more poignant love and chemistry between John and Angela as their relationship slowly yet surely not only penetrates and overcomes that rotten sex abuse that that other man did, but also their quite interesting rapport with one another eventually transcends and blossoms beyond even the great boundaries of time itself, into something ever more intimate and passionate that can *actually* heal those nasty, nasty scars indeed. Because of this, I suddenly had a much more intense rooting interest in both John and Angela as the two main leads here, as he seriously enables her and helps her both overcome that near-fatal trauma as well as place the pieces of her life back together emotionally and spiritually. With all of his heart, no less. ;)
And the way this all plays out from the beginning to the very end... it is just OUTSTANDING FIRST-RATE material right here with a truly magnificent blend of pure Native American sacredness that is definitely not to be missed, and that completely humanizes this whole romance story, I most believe, because this all completely made sense and captivated me quite splendidly rather instead of it being turned into overwrought hyped-up melodrama that tends to not solve any problems at all... and I totally appreciated this entire film and its big payoff as a result!!!
Congratulations to director Bob Clark for creating this spectacular low-budget gem and finally getting the Native American traditions RIGHT!!! That said, I am personally giving such a rather strong recommendation to "Now and Forever", a most definite add as one of the very best Native American films that you can buy on DVD, right along with the 1998 smash hit "Smoke Signals" on which Adam Beach also starred himself... brilliant, brilliant, BRILLIANT!!!!
Movie Review: "I Am Part of Everything, and Everything is Part of Me"
Summary: 5 Stars
"Now and Forever" is a small film with incredible beauty and depth, and if it has flaws, they are well overridden by its strengths. The plot concerns two young people whose destinies are interwoven: John, who is part of the Cree Nation (and whose tribal name means "he who stands both here and there"), and Angela, the girl he loves from the moment he sees her, when they meet as teenagers. Angela's one desire is to escape from her mother and the small town they live in, and this leads her down destructive paths, and John's desire and purpose in life is to protect her.
The cast is excellent: Adam Beach is fantastic as John; he is strong and handsome, and has a charisma that fills the screen, and as Angela, Mia Kirchner has a mix of "fighting spirit" and vulnerability that is perfect for the part. Theresa Russell gives yet another marvelous performance as Angela's mother, the town slut, who warns her daughter by saying "it gets easier and easier to do it for less." One of the best features of this film is the presence of Gordon Tootoosis as John's father, Ghost Fox. He is the vision elder of the tribe, and is full of wisdom and knowledge, and Tootoosis is superb in the part. Filling out the central cast is the "dark spirit" of the plot, T. J. Bolt, played with a nice slice of slime by Gabriel Olds.
Directed with good pacing by Bob Clark, well written by Bill Boyle, and with a lovely score by Paul Zaza, this low-budget film exceeds expectations. Filmed in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, "Now and Forever" is much more than a fantasy romance, it has a heart of truth that few films achieve, and stands up to many viewings. Total running time is 105 minutes.
Movie Review: A Classic To Live On Forever
Summary: 5 Stars
I was initially interested in this movie because I am a fan of Adam Beach. Little did I know that I would enjoy it not only for Adam Beach (who delivered a wonderful performance here, btw), but because of the whole movie per se. It is just so powerful, unique, and tear-jerking, that for the first five minutes after the end credits roll, I just couldn't... talk. I was in complete awe.
I was moved by how John's love for Angela never faltered, amidst everything she had done and been through. This is a beautiful love story full of extreme emotion and intelligence. I showed this movie to all my friends and family, and everyone who saw it cried, even the guys (LOL).
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I didn't understand the ending at first (won't elaborate though), but after a second viewing, I did, and I was SHOCKED - though I mean that in a good way. I never would have imagined that... well, you know (not giving anything away!). WOW, is all I can say.
Movie Review: Continually draws me back in
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this movie because I married a Native American and have been on the Red Road about a year now. I am also an Adam Beach fan. But I had no idea how much the film, and the story of love and hope that transcends time and space would captivate me. I only watched it last night and was so gripped by it's message and medicine that I tossed and turned all night thinking about the movie and all the many faceted meanings of the storyline. It got me big time, and as a person who had a traumatic childhood a bit like the Mia Kirschner role, I really identified with what she went through in her early years.
Adam Beach's performance is stellar and breathtaking. He is gifted. Part of that I think is his Good Medicine, which you can see, feel and even touch in so many ways. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Gordon Tootoosis as well.
Movie Review: "It's The Work Of The Trickster" ~ A Cree Love Story As Told By "He Who Stands Both Here And There"
Summary: 5 Stars
A lifelong friendship between a young Indian boy and a white girl survives the test of time and the bigotry of their small, rural community to finally blossom into true love only when one of them is battling a terminal illness. However there is much more going on than what can be seen, heard, or felt. There are spiritual forces afoot, the Indian spirit known as the Trickster is up to his old tricks and one doesn't discover until the very end how Angela and John's love will survive in this life and in the life to come.
'Now and Forever' is a a tragic yet heartwarming love story in the tradition of 'Somewhere In Time.' Mia Kirshner and Adam Beach are magnificent as the ill-fated lovers, as is Gordon Tootoosis as Ghost Fox.
Be sure to have a box of kleenex close at hand.