The Doe Boy

Talk about movies that slip under the radar! Almost nobody heard about The Doe Boy and there really isn't a good - or even acceptable reason.

Slowly paced this very gentle film packs an emotional wallop few films with far bigger budgets, more stars and loftier reaching stories could hope to achieve. Doe Boy is about Hunter - a boy with an American Indian mother and white father. Hunter is a hemophiliac, a disease seemingly unknown to Native Americans and which separates him further, forever making him feel like an outsider. His macho father (an absolutely terrific performance by Kevin Anderson) loves him, but is ever let down by the boy's inability to be more physically active because of his disease.

As the film traces Hunter's story from childhood through his late teens, we see the difficulty of the relationship between he and his father strained to the limits as well as the inability of his mother to let him go and become the man her son needs to be.

James Duval gives a performance that is positively incandescent; it is an amazing achievement. With relatively little dialogue, it is through facial features and body language that he fills Hunter with a sense of defiance and a desperate need for acceptance. We witness the painful struggle he endures of always being different, in not one, but numerous ways. Acceptance and understanding do not come easy, but with the aid of his wise grandfather, a beautiful girl, and coming to grips with his heritage and and the forces of nature, Hunter's journey is one that everyone should be able to relate to. It is a brilliant, moving performance.

In every way this quiet, little movie is about as perfect as indie film can be. A joy to watch.

The movie was wholesome and had a great story line. Blondell was great in it. =) There was some great scenery. The acting was very good. The direction of the movie was excellent. I think if this movie had gotten more press it would have done well in the box office.

Story about an Hemophiliac Indian boy faced with cultural differences within family. Delves into the daily life and how each family member/friend deals with the situation. Good depiction of a typical boy who beats to a different drum. I would define it as dramatic, yet entertaining. Worth adding to your viewing list.

This film is absolutely gorgeous and worth every moment. It's a Native American film that touches aspects of "Indian blood," the process of growing into a man, and moral/familial conflicts. Hunter is a dynamic character with facets that evolve as the film grows. For a film, I was blown away by the character progression. Hunter's story crosses ethnic lines and appeals to all audiences.

Deeply personal, quietly understated film. If you have an interest in Native American culture or really just appreciate a perfect script and a beautifully made film, then this is your movie.

Randy Redroad came to my school to speak and present two of his films, "Doe Boy" and "133 Skyway." My favorite part is when he said something along the lines of:

"When I review films and I am on the panel, oftentimes it's all PhDs and me. We review films and everyone says 'this reminds me of this' or 'this film was reminiscent of this' but you know what? Look at the film for what it is. You know, good for you that you memorized an author, what do you FEEL?"

After that he quoted a line from a Woody Allan film where Diane Keaton is looking at a painting and refers the painting to another artist "but without the wit." It was an eye-opening experience to hear him say this, something I had honestly never thought about before. But Randy Redroad is right, what does anything really mean without the emotion?

This is the type of film you're lined up for... by an incredible artist.

I am a fan of James Duval, ergo the reason I watched the video. It left me hanging in places, particularly the ending. There was no closure. While some have termed it "wholesome" I find the use of four letter words through out the movie less than that. A teen with a disability trying to find himself makes for a good story line, but an 18 year old Indian drinking beer and picking fights is not what I would call "wholesome." And, as a hunter myself, chasing a deer through the forest is absolutely absurd.