Three young men explore their Indigenous heritage and questions about their gender and sexual identity in this film.
In the tender coming-of-age tale “Wildhood,” Link (Phillip Lewitski) is a young man of Mi’kmaq heritage who journeys across rural areas in search of the mother he hardly knew. The movie was written and directed by the Nova Scotian filmmaker Bretten Hannam, who is Two-Spirit and nonbinary, and their camera intimately observes Link as he slowly casts off the protective shield he once needed to survive.
Laconic with a stiff upper lip, Link seems at first like a familiar character. He is tough and stubborn, and fumes at the world around him. His only ally is his little brother, Travis (Avery Winters-Anthony), and together they scavenge for food, explore the outdoors and endure beatings by their brutal father — until an unexpected discovery inspires Link to flee his trailer park home with Travis in tow.
The rest of the story unspools on the road, as the brothers and their new friend, Pasmay (Joshua Odjick), trek through lens-flare-speckled forests in the hope of locating Link’s Mi’kmaq mother. There are a few scenes of weepy sentimentality, and many more exuberant montages. Throughout, hazy hand-held camerawork and a synth-heavy score encourage a drifty, lyrical mood.
These tactics are well-worn. But Hannam is sensitive in using his craft to soften the rugged young men at the center of “Wildhood.” The quiet candor with which Hannam addresses issues of masculinity, and how it intersects with an Indigenous and queer identity, elevates this otherwise conventional story.
Wildhood
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes. Watch on Hulu.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
