Frybread Face and Me (2023) Documentary Movie Review
Growing up, my summers were filled with visits to my grandparents' house in Dayton, Ohio. Those warm days taught me important values like thrift and self-reliance, as I worked alongside my grandmother in the garden and witnessed her skillfully preserving fresh vegetables in Mason jars. Even now, the aroma of a tomato plant or the earthy scent of a root cellar transports me back to those cherished moments.
The film "Frybread Face and Me" captures a similar sentiment, but from an Indigenous perspective. The protagonist, Benny (played by Keir Tallman), begins the story not disconnected from his Navajo roots, but rather, never truly connected to them. Everything changes in the summer of 1990 when Benny's parents send him from San Diego to Arizona to spend time with his grandmother, Lorraine (played by Sarah H. Natani), who lives on the reservation and adamantly sticks to her native language, resisting English as a form of colonialism. This unexpected journey is a mix of toughening up a city kid and providing a shield for Benny from family issues in California, even if it means missing out on a Fleetwood Mac concert – Benny's main source of disappointment.
In this film, Benny, feeling alone and out of place, discovers a connection with his cousin Dawn, nicknamed Frybread Face for being round and greasy. Initially, their relationship is full of clashes – Fry dismisses Benny as useless because he knows nothing about herding sheep and can't speak Navajo. But as time passes, these two outsiders form a quiet, unspoken bond that allows them to be themselves around each other.
.jpg "Frybread Face and Me (2023)")
The film takes a gentle storytelling approach, letting moments unfold at their own pace, making even the smallest events feel significant. The period details, like the only movie option being "Starman" at Grandma Lorraine's or Benny having a "Gorillas in the Mist" poster, bring a nostalgic touch reminiscent of '80s-'90s Americana. The film's humor, both sweet and wry, evokes the style of executive producer Taika Waititi, a prominent Indigenous filmmaker.
The movie "Frybread Face and Me" is heavily influenced by the characters surrounding Grandma's house, like quirky aunts and tough uncles who drop by whenever the plot needs a lift. While these moments are delightful, the most powerful scenes are the quiet ones. For instance, a nearly silent part where Grandma, Fry, and Benny hop into Grandma's truck to sell woven items to a gift shop for tourists speaks volumes about the Diné people's connection to their land, history, and the ongoing cycles of exploitation that keep them on the margins. It's worth noting that Sarah H. Natani, playing Grandma Lorraine, is an accomplished Navajo weaver in real life, and her expertise is beautifully woven into the film as she teaches her grandchildren the spiritually significant craft.
Despite the film's subtle touches, there are some heavy-handed aspects. The music and voiceover narration can be overly sentimental, as if the director or a producer feared the audience might miss the emotional depth without explicit guidance. However, these forgivable flaws are overshadowed by the genuine affection that filmmaker Billy Luther clearly has for his family and Native people in general. Luther, a member of the Navajo, Hopi, and Laguna Pueblo tribes, shares his semi-autobiographical story with the world, capturing nostalgic moments like pickles in a bag, runaway sheep, dusty roads, and the repeated viewing of the same movie until the tape wears out. This act of sharing is a profound gesture of generosity and love.