Beans

Based on true events and set in Quebec, Beans follows Kiawentiio’s title character as she’s forced to grow up quickly in the face of a months-long standoff between government forces and two Mohawk communities. Filmmaker Tracey Deer, working from a screenplay written with Meredith Vuchnich, delivers a decidedly rough-around-the-edges drama that isn’t entirely without its charms and effective elements, with, especially, the movie benefiting quite substantially from star Kiawentiio’s natural, appealing turn as the progressively rebellious central character. It’s equally clear, however, that the ongoing emphasis on Beans’ less-than-enthralling coming-of-age exploits paves the way for a palpably erratic midsection, as it becomes increasingly difficult to work up much interest in or enthusiasm for scenes detailing the character’s friendship with several far-from-savory teenagers. There’s little doubt, then, that Beans is at its best when focused on the aforementioned standoff and the degree to which it impacts the protagonists life (and the life of her family), as Deer peppers the proceedings with a handful of undeniably powerful images and sequences (eg Beans, her sister, and her mother drive past dozens of rock-throwing agitators). By the time the note-perfect final shot rolls around, Beans has cemented its place as a somewhat hit-and-miss drama that’s helped along substantially by an impossible-to-resist earnestness.

**1/2 out of ****