Restless River (2019) User Reviews

Dreamy and poignant with a rushed feeling to second half

[msghall · 8/10 · 9 September 2021]

Defying labels, this film is almost more a work of art than a movie. It begins as a kind of character study of Elsa, played wonderfully by Malaya Qaunirq Chapman, a woman of her own mind and spirit. For the first half, Chapman's smiles in the face of insurmountable societal barriers, charming the viewer all too happy to celebrate in her struggles to overcome and prevail.

However, half way through this filmic journey, the time period suddenly advances about 10 years. Directors Cousineau and Ivalu do not prepare the viewer, so we are left jarred by this sudden time change.

Again, the ending marks another jump, which is in one way rewarding for Elsa (who, despite different clothes and surroundings, looks exactly the same) but frustrating for the viewer. We just don't know what has transpired during the years (?) we don't see. It all seems a bit hurried in contrast to the perfectly executed first half.

It's been a few days since I viewed this film and I have thought about it many times. Part of that is the connection to Elsa, the other is a puzzlement over why the second half seems so rushed.

Good film!

[LaxFan94 · 7/10 · 21 April 2022]

I liked this film as I do with most films where Indigenous folks are on the forefront. But I find this to be a sad story in that Jimmy never got to know his real father since he left right after they conceived. So I understand Jimmy's anger and resentment for never knowing his real dad.

One thing I found it hard to believe that Inuit women and white men wanted each other intimately as the film portrayed. I don't believe this was a common occurrence especially since the government's genocidal acts against the Inuit were in full swing during the 1940s. This was clearly indicated when Elsa's boss's husband told Elsa that Jimmy had to go to a non-Inuit school. Of course, Elsa didn't like this and understandably so.

I don't know for sure if this occurred. But what I liked the most was that Jimmy adopted his mother's ways very well. This was well shown throughout the film as he learned the Inuktitut language. Not bad for a white kid! Anyway, this film earns a 7 in my books.