Skins

Chris Eyre is a genius. To be able to capture such poignant details of reservation life and convey it successfully to an audience is a work of art. His commitment to a quality product continues, as evidenced by his earlier movie SMOKE SIGNALS (1998).

Highly recommended. Solicit your local theaters to run this movie, as dissemination appears very limited. It will be well-worth your effort.

I am a huge fan of director Chris Eyre and I loved "Smoke Signals" and I think that "Skins" is even better. It resonates with truth and kindness and forgiveness and unconditional love. The subject matter is at times hard to take, but it is sound in it's reality. Everybody simply has to see this movie! What are you waiting for go!!!

"Skins" is much better than I thought it would be. I was expecting a stereo-typical rendition of life on an Indian Reservation, but instead was treated to an all-American story about a family with problems. It is a very well written story that really moves along. Going in, I thought it would be torture to sit through, but, it was over before I knew it, and was a delight all the way. As a result of seeing "Skins" I see Mt. Rushmore as the period at the end of a long and bloody sentence in the history of man in North America.

I feel this movie was a good depiction of life in a poor small town (having lived in several myself.) I enjoyed that it treated Indians like regular folks just trying to find their place in the world. I am irritated by the person whining about Spike Lee and stereotypes. While Spike has contributed a body of work that provokes, he is not every black man.

According to his IMDb bio, Chris Eyre is Cheyenne and Arapaho. Those two tribes banded together with the Sioux to fight Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn or Custer's Last Stand. The reason for the movie's joke about the Crow is because they had been scouts FOR Custer.

The point of that history lesson is that Indians are no more homogenized than white folks. To imply that one person can speak for an entire race is just plain asinine.

In addition, there is a little bit of truth within every stereotype. Although alcoholism is not unique to Indians, Native Americans, natives, indigenous, aboriginals, etc... (or what ever the correct 'PC' term is this week) and I like how this movie dealt with it. I also especially enjoyed the cowboy boots with the football uniform...

"Skins" is an unabashed low budget indie which tells a meager story about life on South Dakota's impoverished Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The film centers on an Indian cop/vigilante (Schweig) and his alcoholic Vietnam vet brother (Greene) and manages good character development, a semblance of story, humor, drama, and an obvious proactive Native American agenda. This austere production will be an average watch for most filmgoers while those with specific interest in Native American issues will find depth, substance, and resonance. (C+)

Note - Those interested in "Skins" might want to give "Thunderheart 1992" (also with Graham Greene) a look.