Spirit Rider

Rating:
Summary: If you liked "Smoke Signals............"
Review: This a very good movie with much of the same stars as Smoke Signals. The story line is also very similar......
A young Anishinabe man comes to grips with his grandfather after learning it was he who caused a fire that killed his mother and the father of another young anishinabe man. The other young man is played by Evan Adams. The journey in Smoke Signals is replaced by a horse race storyline, and the two young men are rivals instead of friends. Other wise this is very similar. Not as good as Smoke Signals, but a good movie if you take it on its own merits. A little high priced at 25-26$.

Rating:
Summary: Spiritrider, an uplifting, positive and beautiful story!
Review: This rich and well constructed story begins with the camera following Jessie Threebears as he races his bike through city streets. He is a street wise high school boy placed in a foster care home. His social worker visits to tell him that he is to be reconciled with his family and his tribe. Jessie has big dreams of competing in the Tour de France and does not want to leave the only life he knows for the reservation. The tribe greets him warmly but Jessie is angry and resentful. Slowly, he learns new truths. This story addresses many themes--life on the reservation, adolescent alienation from family and community, forgiveness, belonging and self acceptance. It's a great story with a cast of some great Native American actors.