Bold Native

As the devoted father of a budding animal rights activist who is soon leaving for college, I am spending a few days at an animal rights conference to enjoy a few days with her before she goes to college and dyes her hair blue.

On the first night of the conference, I saw this movie surrounded by "the choir" I expected this movie to be "preaching" to. I didn't expect much from the movie itself. I was prepared to sit through a "labor of love" that was going to club me senseless with a heavy-handed agenda.

What I got instead was a well-written, well-acted, dramatic and surprising movie that often moved me to tears. The characters were all believable, and I didn't notice any of the distracting low-budget gaffes that plague so many movies like this one.

If I have any complaint, it was the non-linear sequence of the movie. I didn't figure out why he was orchestrating the climax until the movie itself pointed out the timeline and his motivation. I found myself confused, at times, about past and present.

I was already sympathetic to the message, but this movie has pushed me closer to accepting the challenge of living a vegan lifestyle. I think this movie has the power to change people in ways that horrifying documentary footage can't, because you are drawn into the struggle, instead of just being repelled by the reality of animal cruelty.

I definitely recommend this movie to anyone who loves animals, regardless of how their lifestyle or ideology.

Oh, and that pig was cute!

Great movie without being preachy and very thought provoking. Great story, good plot, the actors they picked for the characters were a perfect match.

I bought this DVD since it's not showing in my area. This movie should get awards!!!! You also need to watch the "extras" at the end - from the documentaries on animal treatment to the happy stories from animal sanctuaries to the cast comments and interviews. I didn't know any of the actors with the exception of Randolph Mantooth (from the 70's Emergency TV fame) so it was fun to hear the actors comments. I loved the characters of Nicole (Ursula Whittaker) and I Rock (Tonya Kay) and her interaction with Richard Cranehill (Randy Mantooth).

At a recent screening I attended,the director of Bold Native described it as "a movie of ideas" and I give this film a lot of credit for addressing some of the moral complexity of the animal rights issue rather than just being a simple polemic. It doesn't demonize or romanticize either side too much.

There is a lot of heart in Bold Native. It's fast-paced, colorful, youthful and fun while underscoring the urgency of helping animals during a time when non-violent animal liberators are being prosecuted as domestic terrorists. Bold Native reminds the viewer that Animal Rights is a human rights issue, too. See this movie!

I was blown away by this little indie flick. It's thought-provoking, inspiring, suspenseful and engaging. I hope this gets wide release; it's a very nicely done piece of fictional activism.

In addition to the fictional story line, viewers will learn about selected forms of real-world animal exploitation. Without understanding this, you might have a hard time understanding why the characters do what they do.

This film addresses various approaches to activism, and does pass judgment on the effectiveness of some. The cast seemed perfect for their roles and appeared to really identify with their characters.

I docked the film a little for one intimate scene that I thought went on too long and was actually unnecessary. Although it may not be perfect, this is still an amazing film that I won't soon forget.

The film is a brilliant mesh of dramatic stay-on-the-edge-of-your-seat storyline with important documentary footage about the horrors suffered by animals of factory farms. The film is so high quality -- artful direction, skillful acting, compelling plot, beautiful cinematography and critical and pointed delivery of the message on behalf of the deplorable state of farm animals. I hope it reaches wide delivery.

The movie is so realistic that for the first several minutes I thought it was a documentary until I recognized the intense actor who plays the father. The dynamic of conflict between the son and the father is at the core of the story. However, the true heart of the movie is the plight of farm animals and the risks that activists take when they fight to improve the lives of those animals. The documentary footage is painful to watch, but it brings home the moral fiber of the message.

Highest recommendation!