“Rez Ball” poster Netflix
SPOILERS AHEAD
“Rez Ball” is one of Netflix’s latest movie releases alongside “Uglies” and “His Three Daughters.” It tells the story of an underdog high school basketball team grappling with the loss of their star player, Nataanii Jackson (Kusem Goodwind).
I cried, I laughed, but above all I felt the love and care that went into this movie. This is not one you’ll want to miss.
Despite their initial struggle after this loss, the team utilizes a unique strategy to succeed—calling all their plays in Navajo.
When I first encountered this movie on social media, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it. Sports movies can be a hit or miss, especially when it comes to those centered (poorly) around a minority group.
A major grievance I have with these types of movies is the lack of depth among the characters and the immense reliance on the “white savior” archetype to push the story along.
It’s often the same type of characters with the same storyline over and over again. It’s unrealistic and offers little to nothing to those within these minorities other than a lukewarm message that doesn’t acknowledge systematic issues within these communities.
Fortunately, “Rez Ball” completely evades this concept and instead centers around rebuilding with one another, rather than anyone being “saved” by an outside source.
It is an intentional choice and one that makes this movie standout in the best of ways.
In an interview with Collider interviews, director Sydney Freeland said, “One of the things we (Freeland and co-writer Sterlin Harjo) were both very adamant about was that we did not want to have the white savior character from off the reservation…teach the inner city kids to discover themselves. We knew coach would be someone from the community.”
From the initial scene, “Rez Ball” is a beautiful display of indigenous, specifically Navajo, culture. The details are so intricate, I noticed more each time I watched this movie.
One thing that especially stood out to me was the way the characters were styled. Many adorned traditional beaded jewelry or wore their hair in a certain way. It’s a simple, yet beautiful form of cultural expression; It really reminds you how important those little details are.
Styling aside, I adored how the Navajo language was at the forefront of this movie. It even includes Navajo closed captioning.
The preservation of indigenous languages has been a growing concern over the years, so to have a movie that features an indigenous language so heavily throughout is very important.
What I found even more beautiful is that the majority of the Navajo heavy scenes featured elders within the Navajo community. To know you are hearing an indigenous language in one of its purest forms is bittersweet.
It is also a show of resilience when considering the historical context of the forced assimilation of indigenous communities, especially within residential schools, which only closed in the US in 1978.
In line with this, another thing I noticed was how naturally “Rez Ball” intertwines issues that affect the native community in the movie.
Issues such as suicide and alcholism play a major role in many conflicts within the story, such as the drunk driving incident that killed Nataanii’s mother and sister which led to his eventual suicide.
It is so harrowing to witness, but it opens a door to necessary dialogue on problems that disproportionately affect native populations.
This is further supported by the storyline of Gloria Holiday (Julia Jones), who is the mother of the film’s main character, Jimmy Holiday (Kauchani Bratt).
Gloria battles with an active alcohol addiction throughout the movie, eventually receiving assistance from Nataanii’s father, Ronald (Ryan Begay). The scenes between them are beautiful and hold a quiet intensity.
Specifically, the choice to have Ronald be the one to assist Gloria was a powerful decision. He had so recently lost his entire family due to alcoholism yet reached out an olive branch to her in a time of need.
It’s something that stayed with me throughout the movie, especially when Ronald later gave her a car. I believe that moment was healing for both characters, in a way.
I do wish the audience got to see a bit more of Gloria’s journey, but considering the limitations with the run-time, it is understandable that we did not see more.
As a whole, “Rez Ball” is a snapshot of Navajo culture, with many unique characters that make you appreciate being allowed in their world.
Though I am not native myself, I am someone who also comes from a culture that is often misrepresented in the media. I can say with certainty that this movie is a great example of good representation that will have a positive impact in the future.
I would highly recommend anyone to see this movie. The passion and raw authenticity of this project is something that leaves a lasting impression on you. I would give this movie a 10 out of 10.