Neither Wolf Nor Dog

I was a part of the kickstarter campaign and was lucky enough to see an advance screening. Having been a huge fan of the book I was eagerly waiting to see this movie and it did not disappoint!

All of the actors did a wonderful job bringing the characters in the book to life on the big screen! David Bald Eagle was masterful! Looking into his eyes you could tell he is wise beyond his years with a hint of mischief. No one on this planet could have played Dan except David Bald Eagle.

This movie should be required watching for every person and I highly recommend it!

Director Steven Lewis Simpson respectfully, lovingly, carefully created a film that stays true to Kent Nerburn's book, but is also its own amazing creation. The perfect cast, particularly Dave Bald Eagle, who brings the Native elder Dan to life, with his sense of humor, and his tears for his people, with balance and grace, never becoming maudlin, but never shying away from the truth either.

Seeing the film I felt like I had a true glimpse of present day Native life, and another glance at what America has lost.

This is a remarkable film, especially knowing it was shot in just a few days on a threadbare shoestring budget with a handful of actors and crew - and yet every minute is so meaningful and alive.

The message that we can still help one another and work together to provide a beautiful world for our children's children has never been more needed....thank you to all involved for the reminder, which could save our lives and our planet, "We are all connected".

This was an awesome movie, it captured the essence of life on Pine Ridge. This was a story you can learn something from, no matter what walk of life you are from. It brings back Native Americans back as real in depth characters instead of the crap we have been seeing on main stream movies for years. If you are not native, it will introduce you to problems today's Native people face and troubles they still face such as poverty, ignorance, and the US Government. Definitely up there with other great Native American movies. It was also great to see a Lakota Elder tell his story before he left us, his performance cannot be properly put into words. I have family on the Rez and watching this movie felt like being back there, from the landscape to the personalities.

Having been a huge fan of Kent Nerburn's book, I have been eagerly awaiting this film adaptation for quite some time. I admit I was concerned about how the message of the book would be conveyed in a film without being too "preachy". It's one thing to read Nerburn's beautiful prose coming out of the mouth of the elder, Dan, but how would that come across in a film?

Well, I worried needlessly. Steven Lewis Simpson and Kent Nerburn collaborated to write a screenplay that, while adjusting to necessary film adaptation, has retained the message and the flavor of the original and is the beautiful, moving film I had hoped it would be.

The acting of every single actor is superb – it really would not have been the same with any one of them replaced with another. In particular, Christopher Sweeney as Nerburn and Richard Ray Whitman as Grover are exceptional. Zahn McClarnon's all-too-brief appearance is electric. And words are not sufficient to acclaim the work of Dave Bald Eagle. He is truly a treasure.

I highly recommend this film not only because the message is one that needs to be heard, but also because the film itself is extremely well-made and showcases the beauty of the country that is South Dakota. Well done to all participants – you should be proud of this fine work.

Amazing movie, Went to see it today at the film festival and truly touching, and moving movie. Having read all three of Kent's novels beginning with Neither Wolf nor Dog and Russell Means autobiography, this does not cover up the true pain that our fellow human beings of Native America have endured. The acting was out of this world and left me feeling emotional after the movie. I really admire how the film captured the true humor Native Americans have.

Well done Steven and the team for such a touching couple of hours as I was transported back to the novel and to get a gasp of some of the life my fellow Native American have.

Feeling yuwakape