“Frybread Face and Me” is about in 1990, when its protagonist, Benny (Keir Tallman), reluctantly goes to stay on a Navajo reservation together with his maternal grandmother (Sarah H. Natani). Having grown up in San Diego, the 11-year-old Benny has extra expertise with motion figures, SeaWorld visits and Fleetwood Mac tunes than with rug weaving, sheep herding and bull using. Over the form of indelible summer season beloved by screenwriters, he’ll obtain an introduction to all three.
It helps that Benny is rapidly joined at his grandmother’s by a cousin of an analogous age; she is broadly recognized by the nickname Frybread Face (Charley Hogan). Fry acts as a translator with their grandmother (who has refused to study English), teaches Benny a number of Navajo ideas and even provides him a driving lesson. The cultural alternate goes each methods: Fry is enthused to study that Benny can go to the orca Shamu at SeaWorld every time he needs.
Some complexity is launched by means of one in all Benny’s uncles, Marvin (Martin Sensmeier), who cruelly needles Benny for not being sufficient of a person (and whose personal toughness is named into query after he’s damage in a using mishap).
However “Frybread Face and Me,” written and directed by Billy Luther, who has beforehand made documentaries and labored on AMC’s “Darkish Winds,” declines, to its credit score, to overplay that hand. It’s extra keen on sharing on particulars so particular (a meal of Spam and potatoes; repeated viewings of a “Starman” videotape) they appear drawn from reminiscence. The film is overfamiliar and earnest, however you may’t accuse it of not being heartfelt.
Frybread Face and Me
Not rated. In English and Navajo, with subtitles. Operating time: 1 hour 23 minutes. Watch on Netflix and in theaters.