Older Than America (2008)

To me, this movie is perfection.

Simply Perfect

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

This is the clearest and most direct version of the abuses that boarding schools perpetrated against Native Americans in the United States and Canada. I disagree strongly with those who claim the film is inaccurate. In fact, the rapes, physical abuse, and neglect leading to murder of children are accurate according to the records boarding school survivors recount. Most films which depict Native American struggles fear to "go there," to truly face the more hideous abuses that Native American children continued to endure until mere decades ago. The passing of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978 finally ended this pattern of kidnapping and horrifying deprivation, but the legacy lives on.Georgina Lightning did a fantastic, masterful job directing and writing this film. She has created a heartbreaking testament to the spirit of survival which many Native American women over the years have embodied.The film furthermore links racist abuse with cultural genocide and the manner in which white doctors turned trauma into a pathology. Women of Color have been diagnosed as mentally ill and institutionalized historically for reasons similar to the protagonist in this film. Few films truly reflect this reality.In other words, this is a brave, cutting-edge look at a tragic portion of U.S. history whose legacy continues today.

Visually, it was okay. Editing was good. The main story I understood. It was about "Rain" having these nightmares about her mom's boarding school. A priest who put her mom in a mental facility, wants to do the same to Rain. Why? because of the atrocities priest & nuns did to Native kids at the school many years ago. I got lost & confused & had questions, many questions. What is Bradley Cooper doing in this film? Why did a Native kill a white government worker? Why?! Was Adam Beach a real police officer or just an idiot? He was accepted into the FBI academy but didn't know Law or how to investigate? Rain was in a car accident & John said she had a bump on her head. Where was it? My list of questions go on..., Georgina Lightning wrote, directed & starred in this. A feat in itself. I hear she won all these Indie awards. For what? My questions continue...,

In Minnesota, modernized Native American couple Georgina Lightning (as Rain) and Adam Beach (as John "Johnny" Goodfeather) are troubled by her nightmarish visions. With help from visiting geologist Bradley Cooper (as Luke Patterson), they uncover some mysterious events. "Older Than America" is an issue-oriented film, it explores / exposes the United States government's policy of taking Native American children away from families and reservations in order to assimilate.The emphasis is on making these children Christian (using abominable force). Writer/director Lightning's topic is commendable, but the use of the supernatural does not work; that even Mr. Cooper, in town to investigate an earthquake, has visions perpetuates myths of different color. This can work well in drama, just not this time. The song played over the end credits, "Someone Call an Angel Down" written and performed by Derek Miller, provides a haunting coda.***** Older Than America (3/8/08) Georgina Lightning ~ Georgina Lightning, Adam Beach, Bradley Cooper, Tantoo Cardinal

Older than America is an educational movie about Native Americans and their experiences while attending boarding schools. It also addresses the trauma and difficulties that they still suffer today. The main character, Rain (Georgina Lightning), is reliving her mother's experiences and trying to make sense out of them. **Spoiler**** The storyline involves a Catholic priest, Father Bartoli, who wants to stop Rain from learning about what really went on at the boarding school. Farther Bartoli convinces Rain's Auntie Apple to consent to shock treatments for Rain. These treatments were given also to Rain's mother and are the reason why Rain's mother is now basically a mute. Rain eventually breaks out of the institution with her memory of what happened in tact.Some of the Native Americans who were sent to boarding schools still suffer the consequences today. Many of the children who were sent off to boarding schools were taken away from their parents and never learned parenting skills. The children had no role modeling of parents at the boarding schools. The only parental figures were teachers, nuns, and priest. Numerous Native Americans who attended boarding schools suffer from alcoholism and depression that often lead to suicide. This became a vicious cycle for younger generations to view.**Spoiler** The main trickster is Rain because when it is least expected she surprises the audience with another escape or a joke. Because of Rain we can see what a culture shock the boarding schools still have on Native Americans and their families. Another trickster is Walter Many Lightnings who is actually a spirit. Walter unstraps Rains when she is in the institution and allows her to escape. However, earlier in the movie, he would watch her, and it scared her. Another trickster is Father Bartoli; he tricks Rain's Auntie Apple into believing Rain is a schizophrenic like Apple's sister, Rain's mother. Father Bartoli convinces Auntie Apple the only way to help Rain is to do the electroshock treatments. I would most definitely recommend this movie. I truly believe it is part of our history and should be included in all of our history books. This would be a great movie for all history classes to view. My daughter and I loved this movie and think it is one of the best movies we have seen in a very long time. However, we both view the Catholic Church in a much different way than before.