Rhymes for Young Ghouls

Rhymes for Young Ghouls is a difficult but very important story I believe every Canadian should watch. It poignantly captures the anger of a system that leaves one powerless; it is artful, relentless, and occasionally funny. Harsh reality blends with magical realism as the film explores themes of childhood vs. adulthood, power vs. powerlessness, and forgetting vs. remembering.

As a non-Indigenous viewer I can't speak to how accurately it describes life on a reservation during the time of residential schools, but the daily challenges of the community, terrors of residential schools and relationship with the Indian Agent ring true to so many of the stories shared by elders at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Metis writer Chelsea Vowel writes in "Why Every Canadian Should Watch Rhymes for Young Ghouls" that it "is not just a film. It is a glimpse into something none of us really want to see but must face". I appreciated her review on CBC:

"For me, the familiarity of the events: alcoholism leading to accidental death, suicide, incarceration, poverty, the vulnerability of having only illegal means to keep oneself and one's family safe, the brooding presence of the residential school; all of it evoked a litany of statistics that are all too real in too many indigenous communities.

Even though it is a work of fiction, and some facts were blended for dramatic reasons, every single event portrayed has happened, and is happening in our communities. And this should be what haunts all Canadians.

The fact that this film was set in the 70's, when my parents were young adults on their way to starting our family, affected me in a way I could have never expected. It was too close for comfort. I was born in that decade. This is far from being ancient history.

The absolute power of the Indian agent highlighted in this film at first seems implausible. That is, until you learn about the history of the Indian Act. The power of the Indian agent to withhold rations and blankets, resulting in the deaths of indigenous people in the late 1800's, was not lessened, but merely changed form with every Indian Act amendment, well into the late 20thcentury.

Was there ever an Indian agent this corrupt, this vile, this abusive? Perhaps not in exactly the same way as portrayed in this film, but based on the stories that exist in indigenous communities, this character is not wholly unbelievable. The system created to give power to Indian agents created the perfect opportunity for abuse of that power." (http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/why-every-canadian-should-watch-rhymes-for-young-ghouls-1.2687357)

At times the writing and scene transitions are a little rough, but it seems to work with the rough storyline and the incredible acting more than makes up for it. I would recommend this film to all Canadians- it is neither resoundingly hopeful or hopeless, but a haunting telling of Canada's seldom-told history.

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.

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.

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.

The last Mi'kmaq reservation film I watched was the fairly good, 'BLOOD QUANTUM', which also starred A. D. Jacobs. I never got to see this when it was released and looked forward to watching it. I was half way through it by which time I was absolutely bored stiff.

The main bad points of this drab-fest were the overuse of foul mouthed language (which I am sick to death of in modern day films), the atrocious lackluster deliverance of any decent acting skills and, a collective mishmash of internal stories that have no information background that links them all together. It has most of the main cast just meandering through the film either wasted on Marijuana or drunk as skunks, thus leaving no thread of a build up to a supposed revenge finale' or even payback.

It lacks anything of tense interest and feels very much like its a film students amateur offering as a first year test piece.

I have always had a huge interest in the history and stories of the Indian tribal nations and, have always enjoyed all that I have been able to watch/see. Alas however this just bored me and is the first negative Indian natives/nations film that I have spoken badly about!