Fresh and Exciting

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Growing up reading Judy Blume looks in the eighties, I was especially affected by the sadness of her novel Tiger Eyes, and drawn to the described peace and beauty of the west, to the point of living out there for several years as an adult. I delayed watching this movie when I saw it on Netflix for fear of being disappointed. But Willa Holland's portrayal of Davey, with her facial expression range and intensity, and Tatanka Means's thoughtful Wolf left me just as emotionally affected and fulfilled as when I read the novel. The two characters appear to be each other's only anchors, as Davey deals with the recent tragic loss of her beloved father, and Wolf is about to lose his wise father due to illness. The difference is Wolf is part of the American Indian community and its values of inclusion – when one person is hurting, others gather around him - while Davey is left to deal with her emotions all alone. Her brother is too young to process the loss, her mother, a role underwritten for the experienced Amy Jo Johnson (whom shone in Felicity) is so overwhelmed that she retreats from life, allowing Davy's unknown aunt and uncle to run the family in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and her aunt and uncle try but can't connect amidst their conservative values (obedience, security) and judgements about Davey's parents, whom we learn were teens when Davey was born and struggled financially.Additionally, Elise Eberle and Levi Boultinghouse shine as Davey's Los Alamos high school friends Jane and Ted, both kind and including her, but Jane has her own emotional challenges which are never developed, and copes in a negative way that Davey calls her out on. While Davey and her family heal, it is Davey's journey, as a teen and a grieving daughter, and her guidance from Wolf and his father that are the heart and focus of the story, and one that will stay with you even after the movie ends. Like Judy Blume's novel, this is a memorable gem.

Sadly, this film is proof that good books can't be always translated into good films.To me, this film is nothing like the book. There is no mood set, the cast is totally wrong---the parents look like they could be the brother/sister of Davey, not parents. All poignant dialogue and scenes from the book are removed. There is no building of scenes, and they just did not translate grief except for a few brief moments. They moved and shifted characters and didn't have enough flash back sequences to unfold the mystery of Davey's grief, like in the book.Sadly, I was thoroughly disappointed all around. The fact they changed the ending as well---nothing was done right--they showed no growth of Davey as we see in the book.There are brief moments where you can really feel the grief, but sadly, with no build up, or even getting to know Davey, it falls too short.

We found this one on Netflix streaming movies. Willa Holland (of 'Arrow') is Davey, and as the movie opens her family is attending a funeral. It is her dad, and we only find out much later the details. But Davey was close to her dad and this hit her hard.It hit her mom even harder, Amy Jo Johnson as Gwen Wexler. To help her cope and the family to deal with the tragedy, Gwen's sister and husband drive them from home in Atlantic City to Los Alamos, New Mexico. For an indefinite period of time. Gwen is on medication, she doesn't interact much, eat much. It is a problem.Meanwhile Davey and her young brother enroll in the local schools, since they don't know when they might return home. Davey gets somewhat involved, meets some other students, but her best friend results from an impromptu bike ride and slide down a steep slope.There she encounters Tatanka Means as Wolf , later known as Martin Ortiz. He is a mysterious sort, a Native American who knows about hiking and climbing. And who also is having to get used to a loss of family, his sick father is in a hospital, one that Davey now volunteers at, and he doesn't have much longer to live. (His dad in the movie is also his dad in real life, veteran actor Russell Means).It is refreshing to see a movie without foul language or sexual situations among the teens. All the points come across very well without it. The story is uplifting, Davey and her mom eventually learn how to overcome their loss and get on with life.

OK-this indie can be contrived and melodramatic at times, but it also can be poignant and moving I decided to accept the schmaltz and just go along with the story.Willa Holland, as Davey, gives a wonderful performance here, as a teen trying to cope with the sudden death of her father(we don't learn till near the end of the film how he died) to whom she was very emotionally attached. With Davey's mother Gwen (Amy Jo Johnson) traumatized by the loss, as well, Gwen elects to accept her sister Bitsy's, very believably portrayed by Cynthia Stevenson, invitation to temporarily stay with them in Los Alamos, New Mexico. So Davey, her younger brother Jason and her mother travel from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to New Mexico for the respite.Davey, still trying to deal with her grief, must now try and contend with her over controlling Aunt Bitsy, who seemingly attempts to act as her and her brother's mother, while Gwen is immobilized with depression and pills. Also, Davey must try and deal with her pompous and abusive Uncle Walter, as well as fit into a new high school. At the school she makes some new friends such as Jane (Elise Eberle), who has a drinking problem.Most importantly though, Davey meets Martin, ably played by Tatanka Means, who's of Native American heritage. He asks her to call him Wolf and he gives her the name Tiger for her "sad eyes". They become sort of soulmates, with Martin teaching her rock climbing and together they explore old Tewa caves in the rocks ( the cinematography of the New Mexico landscape is quite gorgeous).All in all, if you can put aside the contrivances, this can be a touching indie film, led by strong performances all around.It was directed by Lawrence Blume, and he also co-wrote the script with his mother Judy Blume, based on her novel of the same name.