The biggest issue with Killers of the Flower Moon is that it took focus away from Lily Gladstone and the Native American parts of that story. But in losing that battle, maybe Gladstone won the war? Because of that clout she got from her incredible performance, Apple gave her her own film, where hopefully she’s created a new younger Native American star, Isabel DeRoy Olson, who can then in turn lead her own stuff soon? At least we got Fancy Dance out of KotFM, which shows that Lily Gladstone isn’t just some one trick pony, and hopefully will get the chance to lead several other Streaming and non Streaming films in the future.
Jax (Gladstone) and Roki (Isabel DeRoy Olson) are trying. It’s a horrible time for the pair: Isabel’s real mother Tawi (Hauli Sioux Gray) has gone missing now for a few weeks, with Jax assuming mothering duties, among them some light grand theft auto and burglary. A former felon herself, Jax gets blindsided by child protective services, citing her record to put Roki in the custody of Jax’s father/Roki’s grandfather Frank (Shea Whigham) and his new wife Nancy (Audrey Wasilewski). Roki’s all despondent, because she was excited for the upcoming powwow in hopes the chronic disappearer Tawi might show up for the mother daughter dance, forcing Jax into some very murky decisions in order to keep her quasi daughter in good spirits until she can get custody back.
Justice is blind is meant to be a positive thing. However, I would say justice is blind in the case of Fancy Dance too, but in the more sinister interpretation. Justice here is blind to intent and historical Native American injustice. Yes, it’s clear from the get go, Jax has a flexible interpretation of morality. However, when it comes to the real stuff, like caring for a girl who’s mother has gone missing, she’s ready and willing to step up to the plate. Day to day tribal police like local Sherriff JJ (Ryan Begay) see that, and find ways to bend the rules for the greater good of the community. But the system is unflinching, and a bad choice Jax probably made when she was a kid comes back at her worst time, when Roki’s being taken away diverting attention away from Tawi’s investigation. I think I made it clear enough that Jax and Roki were gonna sneak to the powwow. But that choice starts the small snowball flying down the hill, growing into an avalanche of bad choices. And those bad choices are met with that blind justice system, pre-determining the brutal steps that have to happen because Jax wanted to make Roki a little happier on the DL, with Frank and Nancy rigidly following protocol when Roki is missing for a bit of time. In trying to prevent Roki from her harsh reality, Jax actually dooms the poor girl to its fate, and the real consequences of the blind justice system Jax has been dealing with her whole life.
Fancy Dance would fall apart without Lily Gladstone holding it together. She’s playing Jax stoic and forceful, but in a different way than Mollie Kyle in Killers. There’s more talking happening here, and much more emotion, as we see a more extroverted person who gets angry, sad, happy, etc. More impressively, Gladstone adapts her performance to fit the character scene to scene, so when she has to be more subdued she is, but when Roki is getting on her nerves she lashes out like a normal human being. The differences between Mollie and Jax are subtle but substantial, showing the work and nuance Gladstone puts into her character work. She also plays well off of her co-stars, especially as a world weary pseudo parent to the sunny Isabel DeRoy Olson, ready to dance and hoping for the best outcome all the time. Ryan Begay and Shea Whigham are also effective in smaller parts, revolving their performance around Gladstone’s orbit.
Representation matters. Modern tales about modern Native Americans are few and far between. So when a good one like Fancy Dance comes along, with Erica Tremblay, a bonafide Native American director at the helm, I’m glad the end result is a great story, and we get a chance for more like this or Reservation Dogs. Let’s keep genre hopping? Romcom next? Let’s get Brady Jandreau involved somehow if we can too!