Review of Mile Post 398

Heard Museum Film FestivalMile Post 398 (2007, 110 min, USA)--In this harrowing yet at times uproarious tale of how a young Navajo man attempts to free himself from bondage to drugs and alcohol, award-winning Navajo husband and wife filmmakers Shonie and Andee De La Rosa take the viewer on an inside tour of Navajo contemporary life with a universal resonance. From his earliest memories, Cloyd (Beau Benally) has witnessed the uglier side of life while being surrounded by alcohol abuse and domestic violence. Each time he attempts to turn over a new leaf his friends Jimmy and Marty (Navajo comedy duo James and Ernie, themselves recovering substance abusers) mastermind a plan to sway Cloyd from his ultimate hope of saving himself and beloved family. A choice must be made, but only Cloyd holds the power to salvage what is left of his life, or allow it to slip away into despair. The first full feature film to be produced entirely on the Navajo Nation and utilize an entire Navajo cast and crew. The film also features the music of Coalition, Ethnic De Generation, Keddah, Rising Conviction and Aaron White.Comment:  Shonie De La Rosa sent me a copy of his feature-length film a few months ago. I finally have a moment to share some thoughts on it.

Is Mile Post 398 a perfect Native film? A riveting slice of rez life? Let's see.

The good

Mile Post 398 presents an eye-opening look at the alcohol culture that prevails on many reservations. It shows how the sins of the father become the sins of the child in a difficult-to-break chain.

The actors all do a fine job. The standout is Ernest David Tsosie III as the supportive friend Ray. I'd say he deserved the Best Supporting Actor award from the American Indian Film Festival 2007.

When Cloyd loses his job because of his drinking, you think he's going to spiral down the drain. But when his wife tells him to find a new job, he picks himself up and does it. The movie transforms itself from hopeless to hopeful.

Mile Post 398 is possibly the most realistic depiction of rez life ever put in a feature film. You don't just see a few staged set pieces; you see mile after mile of small towns, cheap homes, and empty roads filmed from the ground up. It seems as real as a documentary.

When Cloyd goes job-hunting, you feel his plight. He's too poor to own a car and there's no public transit, so he has to hitchhike. Every town and job is 20-30 miles from the next one. It's not hard to imagine how Navajos can become mired in poverty despite their best efforts.

A couple of scenes are outstanding. When Jimmy and Marty tempt Cloyd at mile post 398 (their drinking spot), the camera circles them for what seems like minutes. You practically beg Cloyd not to give in to the pressure and drink. When Ray takes Cloyd to a scenic canyon, the two sit 20-30 feet apart with their backs to each other. Each confesses his sins and you can see the other over his shoulder, like a conscience.

The bad

The first quarter of Mile Post 398 is tough to figure out. There's a man dancing with women, a woman waiting in a hallway, a boy playing in a truck, and a bunch of guys drinking around a bonfire. Eventually you learn that the man, woman, and boy are a family being shown in flashbacks. The boy grows up to be Cloyd, one of the drinkers.

Cloyd's confession comes at about the 3/4 mark. It should've been the climax, followed by a brief denouement. Instead the film goes on. There's an extended scene in which Jimmy and Marty tempt Cloyd to drink again. That should've taken place before the emotional high point, not after.

A surprise ending literally comes out of nowhere and does nothing to help the movie. Fortunately, it's easy to pretend it never happened, since it doesn't fit the rest of the story.

The ugly

As drunks, Cloyd, Jimmy, and Marty bray and cackle like madmen. They sound like people sprayed with Joker venom who are laughing themselves to death. They're so loud and incoherent that it's often impossible to follow them. A couple of times the movie provides subtitles even though they're speaking English, not Navajo.

Note to filmmakers: If your English-speaking actors need translators, something's wrong. If you have to portray drunks, tone it down...way down. Make them quiet drunks who speak in slurred but normal tones. Think Dean Martin, Red Skelton, or Foster Brooks, not a two-legged donkey.

Conclusion

So Mile Post 398 isn't a perfect Native film. If the De La Rosas had avoided the structural problems and the hard-to-understand drunks, it could've been great. As it is, I'd say it's very good. Rob's rating: 8.0 of 10.

For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.