Rhymes for Young Ghouls

I've always been a fan of stories about Native American life. Doesn't mean all the stories I read or watch end up being good.

This is a good one. Also, as a citizen of the USA, it is a little odd to watch one regarding abuse and racism against Indians by the British via "Queen's Laws" in Canada instead of the USA, since most of the western world prefers to pretend only whites in the USA abused minorities.

But beyond a reminder of just how recently people were torturing and destroying the lives of a darker skinned people, this story goes into the family relationships and survival techniques in a world which offered few options for those things which keep us human.

Characters depicted as nothing but unstable, which is odd. I wanted to find the good in them too (compassion, simple etiquette, consciousness) but I haven't. They can be 'just a bunch of savages' to non-natives. The narrative fails to explain the cause of tthe drug-dealing, violence, prostitution, and constant profanity within the community. I already knew that those were the consequences among natives due to residential/day schooling, but I don't know if me not knowing that in the movie is explicable to my autism, which leads to my point of ableist language that is failed tto be addressed within the movie. (A male character says 'that is so f****** retarded. The female one exclaims 'you two are the dumbest Indian since bugs bunny puts on a headdress'-a combo of that and internalized racism. Girl, they're HIGH! I thought you would know that after years of selling weed! I haven't even touched weed and I know that weed causes extreme fatigue over time! Dafuq!)

These people don't even have the common decency to withhold profanity in front of kids! Heck! They even drunk drive with the kids! Why wouldn't they let the kids spend the night somewhere? They're not smart enough to? And what is with the overuse of the F word? They rot my brain by just cussing too much. I know everyone isn't perfect, but all of them are the crack of the barrel! And they had to be extra by throwing that random Wendigo tale in just to make me even more disgusted with the movie!

I'm African American. I lived in the 'ghettos', but the last thing I want is us to be depicted as nothing and nothing but extreme (unwise) caricatures (like this movie does to Amerindians). I'm not a child but there are too many G/PG movies that address native American issues in an apparently Eurocentric or colonist mindset. The movie could have been the exception that is appropriate for EVERYONE at ANY AGE to understand. But no; I guess there is a very foolish saying 'you can't explain your reality to a child.' Says who!

Rhymes For Young Ghouls is a tale of revenge set within the context of Canada's Residential School era- during which older generations of Indians faced systematic oppression from the state, stemming from policies that was effectively genocidal. Today's indigenous communities are still reeling from the effects of such policies (one of which is cited in the opening of the film) today.

Their collective experience is summed up in a quote made by the film's main character- Aila- who says, "This is what brings my people together...the art of forgetfulness," when speaking about the tendency for members of their community to become reliant upon drugs and alcohol as an escape from the traumatic memories that were consequential of white subjugation. A theme that is confronted throughout the film.

Rhymes For Young Ghouls is Mi'kmaq filmmaker Jeff Barnaby's freshman feature (having two short films already to his credit)- and he's done a damn fine job with it. On top of writing and directing this emotional roller-coaster, he also recorded the original score himself (playing a number of instruments in the process). His talents are clearly multifaceted.

The film tells the story of an extended M'ikmaq family, from the Red Crow Rez, who are persistently harassed by a sadistically racist Indian Agent named Popper (Mark Krupa). The Father is played by Glen Gould, the uncle is played by Brandon Oakes, and the main character, Aila, is played by the truly stunning Devery Jacobs (who was looking drop dead sexy in her dress at TIFF).

It all begins when Aila's brother is accidentally killed during a drunk driving incident. Feeling responsible, Aila's mother is unable to cope with the grief and ends up committing suicide. Her father is then arrested for the murder, and a 10-year old Aila is left to fend for herself.

The film then fast forwards to Aila's teenage years. She is no longer a little girl. Rather, the head of a relatively successful drug dealing operation. Aila runs and organizes everything: buying weed from the town's old woman, employing her friends to make the deals, and making sure the "truancy taxes" are paid off to the Indian Agents each month. If these truancy taxes are not paid accordingly, the kids will find themselves "disappeared" into the Residential School system.

Aila and her friends are constantly under the watchful eye of Popper, a racist Indian Agent who exploits every given oppourtunity to violently beat and extort them. In the Q&A Krupa said he based the Popper character off of Ude from Schindler's List...but he's more reminiscent of Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet, if you ask me. Really over the top, in a dramatically sadistic sense.

Popper is always using COINTELPRO tactics against the Native community in an attempt to turn them against one another. The plot derives from an incident where Popper robs and beats a boy named Milch- one of the local kids that works for Aila. He seizes all of Milch's dope and money- the money they need to re-up and pay off their truancy taxes.

Popper's hatred of Aila hearkens back to his relationship with her father, Joseph. Popper and Joseph went to Residential School together. There was an instance where Popper was getting picked on by two of the other students, before Joseph intervened and knocked the kids out. Despite saving him, Joseph was set to be punished by the Priest- and Popper was tasked with carrying out the actual beating. And ever since...he's seemed to have it out for Joseph.

Following the incident with Milch, Aila- with help from her little buddy on the inside- develops a plan to break into the school, steal their money back, and reap vengeance on Popper- who really deserves his comeuppance after stomping her face.

However, before the crew gets the chance to put their plan into action, Joseph is released from jail. Which triggers a number of bizarre occurrences- including the return of Aila's zombie mother and brother (meant to leave you reflecting on the post-colonial Native American experience). This culminates with Joseph being beaten and re-arrested- for taking a boat out on the water during a ban- and Aila being thrown into the Residential School system.

Lucky for her, her little buddy helps her escape- and the crew are able to put their plan into action. After smoking a joint first, of course.

Dawned in masks the group break into the school, seek to free Aila's dad, and pull off their hilarious revenge plot directed at Popper.

But the obsessive psychopath that he is, Popper isn't able to laugh it off. Instead, he comes back for them wielding a shotgun, hellbent on raping Aila. I won't reveal how it all goes down, but I will say that the film has an explosive conclusion which had the audience cheering at the TIFF screening I attended.

The film provides commentary on a number of social issues that currently affect our Native communities: such as alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, suicide, and the reeling effects stemming from the destruction of their culture. Though, it does seem to lay the blame for many of these problems- at least partially- at the feet of both parties (if I read it correctly).

When all is said and done, Rhymes For Young Ghouls is a really excellent film. It's funny, stylish and exciting, yet utterly disturbing and really sad at parts. Barnaby has managed to fashion a story that is set 50-60 years ago with a modern vibe that will appeal to mainstream audiences. I really feel that this film can be enjoyed by a diverse crowd of people, if given a chance. It would be nice to see it get distribution into some Canadian theatres. Highly recommended! 7.5 out 10.

It has a flaw or two, but this debut feature from Native Canadian Jeff Barnaby is very, very good. Think "Mean Streets" meets "Dance Me Outside" with a little bit of magic realism sprinkled in, and you'll get a sense of how this film works. It's probably the best First Nations film I've seen since "Smoke Signals," back in 1998.

"Rhymes for Young Ghouls" follows the story of Aila, a parent-less teenage girl living on a Mi'kmaq reservation in Canada during the 1970s. To help make ends meet, she sells marijuana with her uncle to the local pot smokers on the reserve. This draws the attention of Popper, a sociopathic federal Native Agent who takes much pleasure in tormenting and beating Mi'kmaq people like Aila and her friends. Nobody can sell marijuana on the reserve unless Popper gets his cut of the profits.

Much of the film plays like a dark visual poem, and the imagery and cinematography are very strong. Barnaby lifts some of his imagery and ideas from Mi'kmaq culture, pop culture, horror movies, and what is probably personal experience from growing up on a reservation himself.

"Rhymes for Young Ghouls" gets a big thumbs up from me. This is an impressive debut feature film, and I look forward to seeing Mr. Barnaby's future projects.

Director/write Jeff Barnaby just kills it in his first feature length movie. Set on a Canadian reservation in the 70s the film follows Aila (Devery Jacobs who is astonishing). After a tragic accident involving her little brother Aila is left essentially parentless. By the time she's 15 she's dealing drugs, though she wears as gas mask to ensure she doesn't get high while she deals. The weed also serves another purpose; to keep from being carted off to a residential school run by priests where abuse is high, Aila pays a fee so that the white cops will ignore her presence.

The movie follows many twists and turns but eventually turns into a heist film. But what a great one it is! The performances are all great but Devery Jacobs turns out to be the real find of the movie. She is astonishing as Aila, a small kid who has been almost completely hardened after being left to fend for herself.

The cinematography by Michel St. Martin is a stunner. Not to spoil anything but there is a fight scene on the beach that is equal parts beauty and gore.

Do yourself a favour and watch this film.