Reviewing ‘Rez Ball’

By SETH SANDRONSKY

“Rez Ball,” a new sports drama streaming on Netflix, is based on true events, and a gripping story. You don’t have to be a basketball fan to appreciate this film.

The actors and Sydney Freeland, the director, deliver an emotional and factual dramatization of the role that high school basketball plays for Navajo people living on tribal lands in New Mexico. Emotions and facts can and do blend seamlessly in this film, which LeBron James, the NBA superstar, produced.

Jessica Matten, who sparkled as a Native police sergeant in the TV series “Dark Winds,” adapted from Tony Hillerman novels, captures the vibe of a young woman head coach of a boys’ high school basketball team, the Chuska Warriors. They follow her advice to run and shoot the ball relentlessly.

As a Division 1 walk-on basketball player who later played in the increasingly popular WNBA, Matten’s character avoids sugarcoating tough situations on and off the court. Navajo culture is no stranger to adversity, which she knows and conveys to her players.

Success for the boys’ team is winning the state championship. Meanwhile, the team’s star player is facing challenges of a personal nature. On a related note, the structural challenges, the material conditions. confronting Native youth are immense.

Accordingly, the topic of moving away from Tribal lands is an idea that percolates among the characters. Why? Consider how Native youth are at-risk from incarceration.

According to the Prison Policy Institute, “Native people are incarcerated in state and federal prisons at a rate of 763 per 100,000 people. This is double the national rate (350 per 100,000) and more than four times higher than the state and federal prison incarceration rate of White people (181 per 100,000).”

Kauchani Bratt is a first-time actor who portrays the Chuska’s top player. He arrives to that status in a tragic turn of events that threatens to derail him, the team’s cohesion and season.

Kiowa Gordon and Ryan Begay, who acted in “Dark Winds” alongside Matten, deliver powerful performances. Their characters’ authenticity adds to the storyline of the film.

Julia Jones portrays the star player’s mother, struggling with alcoholism. She had a stellar high school basketball career, but will not attend her son’s games.

Her reason for this absenteeism on game days is revealing. The reality of growing up and coming of age on Tribal lands can and does lead to fatalism about the future.

A mother’s refrain that Native people always find a way to lose sums up the reduced opportunities that inequality and poverty breed on Tribal lands. High school basketball in New Mexico offers a momentary break from this dismal structure.

Freeland, a middle school and high school basketball player, understands the nuances of the popular sport. Teamwork is paramount, as is communication and hustle.

Finally, I also give a shout out to the depiction of the girls’ high school team. Amber Midthunder portrays a no-nonsense point guard for the Chuska Warriors. The character’s infectious grit adds to the film’s theme of camaraderie.

There has been a remarkable growth of Native films recently. “Rez Ball” is high on that list.

Seth Sandronsky lives and works in Sacramento, California. He is a journalist and memberships of the Pacific Media Workers Guild. Email sethsandronsky@gmail.com.

From The Progressive Populist, November 15, 2024


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