ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Reviews

Nine Days – Life Before Life

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“You are being considered for the amazing opportunity of life.”

What were you like before you became you? Is there life before life? Edson Oda’s Nine Days doesn’t so much ask or answer such questions, it plays with the possibilities they present. In the process we have a chance to consider what a gift it is to live.

Will (Winston Duke) lives in a secluded beachfront bungalow. There he spends his days watching a bank of TV sets that show the world through the eyes of various people around the world. He makes notes on each, keeping his file up to date. Will and his assistant Kyo (Benedict Wong) look forward to special days in the lives of their charges. One such day an upcoming concert debut by young Amanda (a bit of a favorite of Will’s). But when she suddenly dies in an accident (suicide?), Will is devastated. But he has to get busy, because it is his job to choose a new soul to be born.

Will, we discover, has chosen all of these people he watched (and perhaps vicariously lives through) for the gift of life. We aren’t sure if he is a divine being, or just a cog in the cosmos. But having had “previous experience as a living person” he understands the challenges that life can hold. (Kyo hasn’t had such experience. His job is to make sure Will follows the proceedures and to act as a sounding board in Will’s deliberation.)

Soon a selection of new souls arrives for interviews. Each new soul has their unique personality. Some are easily dismissed, but he settles on a group of five finalists. He gives them various tests to try to determine which will have the best shot at success in living. The others return to nonbeing. But we can tell that Will’s grief over Amanda’s death is affecting his judgement.

One of the finalists, Emma (Zazie Beetz), intrigues Will. She shows up late for her first appointment. She fails to give clear answers to his questions. Yet she has an empathetic and curious character. It is hard for him to dismiss her, even though she doesn’t fit into the process well.

Oda notes that one of his influences in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s After Life (which happens to be one of my all-time favorite films. Nine Days is in many ways a perfect companion to that film. After Life is souls being processed after their death. Here is the process before birth. Oda gives a very clear nod to that film in the loving way Will gives those whom he rejects a small artificial life.

By looking at life as something that is not yet for these characters, we get to see a bit of the wonder, the pain, the joy, the hope, and the peril that makes up life. We grieve for those souls not chosen for this “amazing opportunity”, because they have been given a taste of what that could be. We celebrate the possibilities that will exist for that one soul who is chosen. And we should ponder what it means for us to have been given the lives we have.

Nine Days is opening in select theaters with a rollout to follow.

Photos courtesy of Sony Picture Classics.

Tailgate – Pride without Grace

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“The time for apologies is behind us.”

Tailgate, from writer/director Lodewijk Crijns, is a psychological thriller built around road rage (and perhaps just rage in general). What begins as a simple road trip turns into a journey into fear and danger.

Hans (Joroen Spitzenberger), along with his wife Diana (Anniek Pheifer) and their two children, are heading off to visit his parents. Even before they leave, Hans is beginning to complain. They’re running late. Every little thing seems to aggravate him. He and Diana bicker as they travel. And then he gets behind a slow moving van. Already anxious about the time, he honks, flashes his lights, and rides the van’s bumper. The van just goes slower. Finally, he gets by and begins to make up time.

When they stop for gas, the van comes in as well, and the driver (Willem de Wolf), lectures the children not to behave like their father and demands an apology. Hans is in no mood for all this. And once they get back on the road, the van is in pursuit. We already know (from a brief prologue) that the van driver is a psychopath who seems to be on a mission to rid the world of people who don’t fit his view of behavior.  His method of dealing with them is to put on a hazmat suit and shoot pest control chemicals into them.

Through most of the film, Hans and family are in a cat and mouse game as the Exterminator tracks them down. It is all magnified by a series of bad choices that Hans makes along the way. (Kind of like in all those slasher movies when people always go into the basement alone.) There are many choices that might have mitigated some of the road rage. Some we may think were fairly obvious, but still the bad choices keep piling up.

A key element that propels the story is pride (the kind of pride that earns it a place among the seven deadly sins.) The Exterminator obviously has way too much belief in his own rightness, but that is is consistent with being a psychopath. Hans, on the other hand, frequently acts out of pride, even when it is self-destructive. Keep in mind that we don’t really see Hans as very sympathetic because of the way he is acting even before he encounters the slow van. He expects the world to adjust to his wishes—not unlike the Exterminator. It’s just that the Exterminator is much more violent and aggressive in acting out that vision of the world.

For me this is a story about the absence of grace in the world. Whether by Hans or the Exterminator, grace is never offered or even seen as a possibility. Perhaps that is an outgrowth of the way pride affects the characters throughout the story. If one always assumes they are in the right and others are wrong, where is the room for grace within any relationship? For Hans, that lack of grace is seen in many little ways, even within his family relationships. As the story plays out, we see that such a lack of grace can be deadly.

Tailgate is in theaters and available on virtual cinema and VOD.

Photos courtesy of Film Movement.

Teenfish #14 ~ BLACK WIDOW!

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Welcome to Teenfish, a podcast series that lets teenagers and young adults speak about media that matters to them in their own voice. Hosted by Daniel Collins, Teenfish airs every month and invites local youth to engage the truth and lies of the shows and films that excite them.

Marvel Studio’s latest masterpiece, BLACK WIDOW, is a phenomenal solo movie about Natasha Romanoff, “a total poser”, aka Black Widow, as she confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy, and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger. This month, Daniel is joined by Cat, Riley, and Jacob to discuss sexism, family, human trafficking, and some great acting!

You can also stream the episode above on Podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), or Spotify! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

North Hollywood: Sk8 For Your Life

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Whether its skateboarding or something else, everyone has to decide who they’re going to be.

Set in Los Angeles, North Hollywood tells the story of Michael (Ryder McLaughlin), a young man on the cusp of adulthood. With high school having just ended, Michael and his friends spend the summer trying to figure out what’s next for them in their lives. While some of his friends are preparing for college, Michael yearns to becoming a pro skater. As he figures out what it’s going to take to turn his dream into a reality, his father (Vince Vaughn) tries to push him towards more tangible jobs for his future.

Directed by Mikey Alfred, this trip to North Hollywood is an enjoyable coming-of-age story that highlights the challenges it takes to break free from our youth. With a simple but effective script, Alfred takes a ‘fly on the wall’ approach to his filmmaking that feels authentic. This is not a film driven by wild plot points or overly dramatic moments. Instead, Hollywood wants to be seen as a slice of life. While some will inevitably find this type of storytelling ‘slow’, there’s a joy embedded within the story that absolutely charms its audience. 

Much of the film’s success lies within the strength of its performances. While Vaughn and Miranda Cosgrove are enjoyable, much of the film rests on the shoulders of its lead Ryder McLaughlin who turns in some good work here. As the young and impetuous Michael, McLaughlin carries himself with an insecure swagger that helps the character feel real. 

However, Alfred’s most interesting decisions come through the soundtrack as he floods the film with music from the 1950s and 60s. By drawing a sonic line between generations, he fills Hollywood with an aura of youthful innocence and exuberance. Suddenly, teenage acts of rebellion feel pure and harmless. What’s more, this simple musical decision allows the eras to blend together to remind the audience that teenagers aren’t that different now than they were then. While the styles may change with time, the desire to come into one’s own remains the same.

With that in mind, Hollywood is very much about learning what it means to step into the future. As Michael pushes towards his dreams of becoming a professional skateboarder, so too does he come up against voices who try to tell him who he must be, especially his father. Although there remains a purity within his desire to skate, his father fails to see anything but the potential downside. A construction worker, Michael’s father believes that work comes by the sweat of your brow as opposed to sponsors and fame. As a result, he refuses to take his son’s dream seriously and Michael must decide whether his passion for skateboarding is worth enduring the pressure to conform that he experiences at home.

At the same time though, Michael’s relentless pursuit also threatens to steal his soul. Despite the courage he shows while pushing towards who he wants to be, he also begins to forget who he is. With the glamour of fame set before him, Michael starts to lose sight of the people in his life who have helped him get where he is. To him, the dream is within reach but this begins to change him. As he begins to step into adulthood, there’s a natural tendency to separate from the past but at what cost? As enthusiasm borders on arrogance, Michael struggles to stay true to himself and faithful to those who have supported him.

Though North Hollywood may slip under the radar of many, there’s a lot of value in this pleasant indie drama. While Michael’s story takes place in the heart of California, his emotional journey is one that everyone goes through. As a result, there’s something universal about this heartfelt story that remains appealing. In light of this, while not everyone will want to make the journey, this is a trip to Hollywood that’s worth taking in the end.

North Hollywood is available on VOD on Friday, July 23rd, 2021.

Beans: Torn Between Peace and Protest

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It’s not necessarily a good sign to refer to a film as ‘timely’.

It’s not that the term is a description of a film’s poor quality. (Often, it’s the opposite, in fact.) However, the use of ‘timely’ usually refers to the fact that the issues of injustice raised within the film are still relevant in today’s culture, rightly or wrongly. In this way, the film at hand usually takes an additional meaning as a cry for help for a group who needs to be heard in a time of suffering.

Beans is one of these films.

Set against the drama of the Oka Crisis of 1990, Beans (Kiawentiio Tarbell) is a young girl who lives on the Mohawk reserve of Kahnawa:ke, Quebec. Staying with her loving parents (Rainbow Dickerson and Joel Montgrand) and her little sister (Violah Beauvais), Beans lives a life of innocence and safety on the reserve. However, when a proposed expansion to a golf course threatens their burial ground, an armed stand-off develops between the Canadian government and Mohawk population, exposing the racist undercurrents of the local population against the Indigenous population. Unprepared for the hatred that she experiences, Beans must re-examine who she is and transform herself into her own kind of warrior.

Coming at a time when injustices against the Indigenous population lie at the forefront of Canadian conversations, Beansis a stunning and thought-provoking examination of history from an alternate perspective. While the coverage surrounding the Oka Crisis frequently portrayed the Mohawk people as villains, Beans tells the story through the eyes of the oppressed. (Incidentally, Deer highlights this false narrative by the media by using actual news coverage from the time.) In doing so, writer/director Tracey Deer offers an intimate story from the perspective of someone who lived through it herself as a youth. Though the characters are fictional, the story takes pages out of her experiences and reframes the incident through the eyes of innocence. 

Caught between her family and the terrifying events that swirl around her, Beans’ world is shaken by the unjust hatred thrust upon them. By choosing to tell the story through the eyes of young Beans, the events within the film become even more horrifying for the viewer at times. (This is especially true in one particular moment where her family is being harassed within their car, a scene which may be one of the most harrowing onscreen moments of the year.) 

A film this intense requires a lot from its young star but Deer has found an incredible talent in young Kiawentiio. As Beans, Kiawentiio absolutely shines. Despite being featured in almost every scene, she shows a maturity in her performance that grounds the film. Balancing both youthful innocence and justifiable rage behind her eyes, the actress feels present throughout the film which leans into its authenticity.

As she navigates the painful events that unravel before her, Beans’ journey is very much a battle for her soul. After bearing witness to the racist attacks at the hands of local citizens, Beans is left without answers. Though she has lived a relatively quiet life on the reserve, her experiences of the horrors of injustice force her to re-evaluate the way she sees the world. When she falls in with a group of young rebels who refuse to accept the behaviour that they’ve seen, they teach her how to hate her oppressors and take action against them. At the same time though, Beans is also told by her mother that she needs to be ‘better than they say she is’ by taking a more peaceful approach to insurrection. For her mother, the best response to these racist attacks is to demonstrate her integrity by the strength of her character as opposed to violence. 

In this way, Deer takes an interesting approach to the conversation surrounding the proper responses to injustice. Instead of advocating for either method as the correct one, Deer recognizes the need for both non-violence and force. Through Beans’ journey, she points out that, while the non-violent approach may be best, there are also times when other methods may be necessary in order to bring about change. As a result, Deer manages to hold both responses in tension with one another with grace and understanding.

Sharply written and executed, Beans is easily one of the best (and most important) Canadian films of the year. By sharing her experiences through the eyes of young Beans, writer/director Deer has created a story that’s both personal and poignant. Most importantly though, her emphasis on racial injustice against Canada’s  Indigenous population provides an added layer for a country seeking to chart a new path of healing for a nation torn apart by the pain of the past. 

In short, Beans provides a voice that is timely.

To hear our conversation with writer/director Tracey Deer, click here (YouTube) or here (audio).

Beans is available in theatres on Friday, July 23rd, 2021.

Pig: Nicolas Cage offers Humble Rage

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Who knew the culinary industry was so competitive?

Pig tells the story of Robin Feld (Nicolas Cage), a reclusive truffle hunter in the Oregonian wilderness. Living as somewhat of a hermit with his beloved pig, the mysterious Feld survives by selling truffles off the grid to Amir (Alex Wolff), an ambitious young culinary salesman. However, when a home invasion leads to the theft of his prized pig, Feld is infuriated. Hellbent on recovering his pet, Feld is forced to return to his former life and delve into Portland’s culinary underworld.

While the premise to Pig may sound ridiculous, the result is far from a joke. Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski, Pig is almost shocking in its silence. At a time when it feels like every middle-aged man needs to establish a revenge actioner, Pig uses all of those tropes to its benefit without throwing a punch. With franchises like John Wick, Nobody, and The Equalizer dominating the multiplex, Sarnoski creates a world that feels like it’s going to wow you with its set pieces but highlights its performances instead. (Admittedly, the biggest question mark to me remains the title. While the title works considering the story, it really feels like it should be the name for a gritty horror film instead of the character piece that it actually is.)

In many ways, the comparisons to John Wick are inevitable (and intentional). Whereas the first Wick film dealt with his vengeful attacks due to the death of his puppy, Pig takes a similar track with its narrative. Both Wick and Feld burn with wicked intensity and obsession over the loss of their animals. Both men’s quest for vengeance lead into the unknown seedy underbelly of their respective worlds. Even the names of both men strike fear into the heart of their former associates.

But, the films could not be more different. And that’s a great thing.

Unlike Wick’s eye for vengeance, Feld’s interest remains only retrieving his beloved pig. As he enters into the underworld, people freeze at the sight of him yet it’s more out of respect than fear. When he walks into an underground fight club, one expects vicious outbursts that will put the room in check but the result is far more powerful. Rather than unleash his anger upon the world for the loss of his pet, Feld has no interest in acts of violence. (Although, without giving any spoilers to the film’s finale, Feld turns out to be as lethal as Wick… without hurting a soul.) 

What’s more, credit must be given to Cage as well who is absolutely fascinating to watch work here. Without resorting to his trademark manic behaviour, Cage burns onscreen with an inner rage that bubbles hot below the surface. Although Cage’s career has intentionally veered into the realm of self-parody in the last decade or so, Pig is a reminder of how good he truly is when given material that harnesses his talent. (Seriously. I’d forgotten.)

In its soul, Pig is about far more than a lost animal. Featuring a solid script and performances, Pig plays out like a modern-day parable that highlights the power of identity. Although he’s been hiding in the woods for the last fifteen years, Feld’s name still rings in the ears of those who knew him. (In fact, his name carries such weight that he’s hesitant to use it.) However, this self-awareness becomes even more clear when it’s held up against his unlikely pseudo-partner Amir. 

Having grown up under his father’s shadow, Amir is a man who does not yet know who he is. Torn between his father’s achievements and charting is own path, he genuinely yearns for some acknowledgement about his own level of success. (For example, there’s no question that his brightly coloured Camaro is meant to show the world that he matters.) 

However, when he meets Feld, he discovers something different about himself through his experience with the culinary hero. Rather than let the world know that he has returned, Feld carries himself with quiet humility. For Feld, he knowswho he is but he has no interest in throwing it around. Although his mind is as sharp as his skills, Feld is so comfortable with himself that he knows the most powerful weapon at his disposal is to be himself. As such, there’s a beauty in his gruff and grizzled exterior that leaves a mark on the soul of his young companion.

Fueled by its heart, Pig is simply something to behold. With all the markers of yet another action-fest, Sarnoski has created something far more creative and almost poignant at times. Though there will be many who miss this film strictly due to their lack of interest in Cage or its marketing, trust me. This is one Pig who should not be put out to pasture.

Pig is available in select theatres on Friday, July 16th, 2021.

Mama Weed – Making the Most of Opportunity

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Mama Weed (La Daronne), from director Jean-Paul Salomé, takes us into the Paris underworld, but from a somewhat different perspective. Our entry into that world is not through a hardened career criminal or long-suffering police officer. It is a woman who stumbles into an opportunity and makes the most of it.

Patience Portefeux (Isabelle Huppert) works as a translator for the police. She spends her day listening to the phone calls of the city’s drug dealers. She’s having a bit of an affair with her boss. But she is going broke. Her mother is in a long-term care facility, and Patience is months behind in paying. As she listens to a call one day, she hears her mother’s nurse’s son and tries to protect him. In the process she ends up with about a ton of hashish. She sets up her own drug network, making use of some of the dimmer dealers she knows from the wiretaps. Her inside information about how the police work gives her a way to try to avoid detection. She takes on the persona of an Arab woman and soon she is being tracked down by the police (including her lover/boss) and the real criminals whose drugs these are.

The film is a blend of comedy, thriller, and caper adventure. We genuinely enjoy seeing Patience manipulating the system and coming out on top, even though she is essentially an amateur at this kind of life. But she quickly figures out how to launder her money as well as work around the police who are getting closer, in part because of the ineptitude of her accomplices.

It is also a story that reflects the desperation that might induce someone into crime. Patience had no plans of becoming a drug lord. But because her mother is about to be evicted from the nursing home, when the opportunity arose, she saw it as her way out of the financial hole she was in. But the film really doesn’t delve too deeply into the ethnic and socio-economic issues around drugs and drug policy. It is essentially an enjoyable ride through growing tensions and releases as the story plays out.

Mama Weed is showing in select theaters

Photos courtesy of Music Box Films.

Downeast: Walking the Line Between Light and Dark

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Sometimes, you simply can’t break free from the world you know.

Set off the coast of Maine, Downeast tells the story of Tommy (Greg Finley), a young lobster fisherman who lives a simple life working on his father’s boat. When he runs into his old flame Emma Maddox (Dylan Silver) sparks immediately fly once again. However, Tommy is immediately conflicted as deeply held secrets begin to re-emerge and threaten their relationship. Faced with the ire of the mob, Tommy must decide whether or not his love for Emma is worth the risk.

Written and directed by Joe Raffa (but based on an original idea by Finley), Downeast is a gritty, grounded and thoroughly entertaining film from start to finish. Backed by a well-written script and featuring some solid performances, Downeast creates a world of intrigue but never loses the soul of its characters. The North East coastal cities of the United States have garnered a certain mystique about them in recent years. In Downeast, Raffa capitalizes on this charisma and uses it to his advantage, giving the film an almost dreamlike quality at times. Lobster fisherman work hard at sea and enjoy time together at the local pub. Young romance springs up as they remember their youth at the nearby beaches.

But that innocence doesn’t last very long. 

Underneath the beautiful exterior lies a world of violence and power that runs the city. Through recent films like The Town and Black Mass, this region has begun to blend its own brand of charm and sweetness with a seedy underbelly that threatens it. Young Finley does an excellent job exemplifying this tension as lead character Tommy, a man who has the strength and size to do harm yet holds those things inside out of a desire to do the right thing.

With this in mind, this is also a world of masculine power and authority. While women are held in high esteem, it’s the men who make the decisions. However, this makes the character of Emma so much more fascinating. Having broken away from her family, she remains one of the most assertive and powerful characters in the film, despite her surroundings. As Emma, Silver brings a confidence and compassion to the role that tangibly shows her strength.

Forced to choose between the love of his life and the life that he’s known, Tommy is a man torn in two directions. On one hand, Tommy is captivated by Emma. Although they haven’t seen each other in years, Tommy has never stopped caring for her but remains conflicted due to his relationship with her brother. However, when they see each other again, he is immediately drawn to her and wants to honour her with honesty and integrity.

However, on the other hand, Tommy is also caught up in the shadows of deception that creeps throughout the town. While he wants no part of criminal activity himself, Tommy lives in a world where it shades everything he does and everyone he cares about. Every decision that he makes feels like it threatens to upset the balance of power in the neighbourhood. As a result, Tommy finds himself caught between a rock and a crime place. To follow his heart could bring pain to those he loves but to ignore his feelings would be unbearable.

In order to break free, Tommy must decide what it means to have integrity in a world that seems to have none. This is a world where doing the right thing may, in fact, be the wrong thing. (“Sometimes a man’s gotta do what he don’t wanna do,” we’re told.) But can darkness and light co-exist? In this corner of the country, the two blur together to create its own unique shade of grey, making it difficult to discern them from one another.

Portraying the region with heart and heat, Downeast is clearly a love letter to the region. Despite the apparently conflict between dark undertones and romantic environments, this is a film that understands its world and executes it well. Featuring some solid performances, Downeast bubbles with deception until it finally boils over at the end.

To hear our interview with Greg Finley, click here.

Downeast is available on VOD on Tuesday, July 13th, 2021.

The Misfits: Even with Some Movie Magic, Misfits Misfires

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Even when you have all the right pieces, some films just don’t come together.

The Misfits is one of these films.

Directed by Renny Harlin, Misfits is a globe-trotting heist movie that has enough visual style and pop to entertain but gets hindered by a muddled script. Having helmed such films as Deep Blue Sea, Cutthroat Island and Driven, Harlin has always had the ability to bring joy out of weaker material and he does his best with Misfits. (Remember: This is the man who managed to make a shark hilarious devouring Samuel L. Jackson in an underwater lab into an iconic image.) Highlighting the glamour of Abu Dhabi with the glitz and energy of other heist films, Harlin is clearly interested in engaging his audience. Unfortunately, the film’s screenplay can’t stick the landing. 

The Misfits tells the story of a team of thieves with a unique vision for their line of work. Led by Ringo (Nick Cannon), these Misfits only take on heists with the goal of stealing from the oppressors and sharing with the oppressed. When they come up against a job that requires a unique set of skills, they enlist renowned criminal Richard Pace (Pierce Brosnan) to co-ordinate their efforts. Targeting the corrupt Officer Schultz (Tim Roth), Pace, Ringo and their team work together to steal millions of gold bars hidden beneath one of the world’s most secure prisons.

Written by Kurt Wimmer, Misfits has lofty goals but seems confused as to how to reach them. Shifting tones and weak character arcs keep the film from maximizing the band of… well… misfits at the film’s disposal. Despite having some solid casting in Brosnan, Cannon, and Roth, the cast are given very little to do that matches their talents. However, having said this, Jamie Chung’s work in the film is easily the most fun to watch. As the potentially violent Violet, Chung is an absolute delight onscreen as she balances mystique with mayhem.

What is most interesting about Misfits is its attempt to somewhat re-invent the heist genre. Rather than bring down a major corporation for their own benefit, these thieves have justice on their minds. Operating like modern day Robin Hoods (although Ringo despises the comparison), this team robs from the rich and give to the poor. In other words, after each job, they refuse to take any sort of reward but always want to give money back to the people who have been taken advantage of. Though the idea of giving back after a heist isn’t new, it’s somewhat refreshing to see a team that takes nothing from their job and only wants to help others. 

With this shift in ideology, Pace struggles to comprehend this new attitude of benevolence that he’s asked to embrace. Having built a career looking out only for himself, Pace can’t believe that anyone would go to so much trouble in order to get nothing in return. Though, when his daughter convinces him to give it a try, the wily veteran sets out on something of a redemption arc. Suddenly, his old mindset of ‘me-first’ has been undercut by an interest in leveling the playing field for those in need. There’s little doubt that Brosnan has all the skills necessary to make this sort of character journey believable (and fun). But he’s simply not given enough material to work with to bring it to life.

In a lot of ways, it’s frustrating that Misfits misfires in the way that it does. While it has the seeds to create something really intriguing, the script simply undercuts the end result. As a result, The Misfits ends up as somewhat of a mixed bag. Even though the film offers some entertaining performances and moments, ultimately Misfits may be one you (and its cast) want to leave in the vault.

The Misfits is available on VOD on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.

Black Widow: Good Hair is a Game Changer

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Do I even have to put a SPOILER WARNING here? Because we will be talking about Black Widow, so…yeah…potential spoilers.

I have short hair. Most days I can leave it down and it doesn’t cause any distractions or issues with my day-to-day activities. But, if I’m going to be doing things like cleaning or travelling, I’m going to somehow put it back out of my face and out of the way. The last thing I want to worry about when I’m active is my hair.

Can you imagine fighting to take down the universe’s most terrifying and powerful villains with your hair in your face? Because pretty much until Endgame and this movie, our mightiest female heroes have worn their hair down. And if you’re wondering why I care about this so much, let me explain. But first, a brief summary of where we are now that Black Widow has released.

Eleven years after her first appearance in Iron Man 2, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is finally getting her story. Set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, Black Widow shines the light on the shadows that have been Natasha’s elusive past. We’ve gotten some brief glimpses into her Russian training and connections and we’ve seen hints to the emotional burdens she wears. Since we can’t go back to the very beginning of her story, I wasn’t sure how we were going to see the path between who Natasha was, and who Natasha now is to us.

As she begins her time on the run after breaking the Sokovian Accords, Natasha is pulled back into a mission she long-believed was handled. She describes Budapest (an event she and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) recall during the first Avengers), as the final step to her defection to S.H.I.E.L.D., effectively finalizing the cleansing of the “red in her ledger.” But she was wrong. A mysterious package arrives at her safe house with a clue about who needs her and she has to seek out the very people she once felt betrayed by.

In the later movies, Natasha thinks of the Avengers as her only family. But we quickly learn here that she once had a sister, a mother, and a father. Even though it was artificially made as a cover for a covert Russian operation, there were a few years where Natasha had a normal life. But it was not to last.

Her “father” was actually Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) aka Red Guardian aka Russian Captain America. He and brilliant scientist and fellow Widow (and “Mom”)  Melina (Rachel Weisz) had Natasha and “sister” Yelena (Florence Pugh) under their wing until the time came for the girls to begin their training at the Red Room. Together they must work to finish the mission Natasha started all those years ago.

The target? One of the creepiest villains I’ve seen in the MCU yet, Dreykov (Ray Winstone makes him almost TOO real). Mastermind behind the Red Room – an elite training facility that transforms orphan girls into world-wide assassins that work to keep Dreykov in power over the world’s most influential leaders – Dreykov has perfected a mind-control serum with Melina’s genius that ensures his Widows will deliver on his every command. He exploits both their vulnerability and sexuality and rewrites their reality – until Yelena defects and Natasha jumps in to free the Widows from Dreykov and destroy the Red Room for good.

How does any of this lead into a conversation about hair. Well, let’s think about it. For one, Black Widow’s hair has been a topic of conversation since Johansson brought her to life on the big screen. People complained it was too short, it was too long, it was too curly, it was too straight, it went blonde, etc. Here we have someone who regularly takes out pretty scary and powerful enemies, and we are talking about if her hair is right to the character. Dude – I just always wanted to know why it was down? In Endgame, we finally see her hair up for most of the movie, maybe because in space it’s more acceptable? Or because the scene had been set for years’ worth of searching for ways to undo all that Thanos had destroyed, and suddenly it didn’t matter? For whatever reason, I was thrilled to see exceptionally powerful women go into full battle mode with their hair up in Black Widow.

The contrast between Yelena wearing her hair up from the beginning but Natasha evidently having had to take a journey for it to be acceptable to wear her hair up is hopefully a glimpse into the future treatment of female super heroes in the MCU. Yelena has the same sarcastic wit of Captain Marvel, the same desire for what was fake to be real as Wanda, and the same moral compass of Gamora’s change of heart. She is set up to take on the mantle of Natasha and she’s not here to play games. And as silly as it’s going to seem to people, seeing her with her hair up throughout the film gives me confidence that female superheroes are being equipped to fight the same battles as their male counterparts. In continuation of illustrating this point, I give you the original Avengers:

  1. Captain America. Helmet. I don’t know how effective it is but it’s there. And he’s enhanced.
  2. Iron Man. Obviously. And he’s enhanced.
  3. Thor. Yes his hair is down but he can also fly and call lightning to his very hands. And he is a god.
  4. Bruce Banner. One word: Hulk. And he’s enhanced.
  5. Hawkeye. No head covering, but he mostly fights from a distance…because you know, #bowandarrows.

Captain Marvel had a helmet and a much more protective suit but, to this day, people condemn her character – even though she has been the closest one to receiving equal treatment. And she’s enhanced. Natasha fights on the ground, hand-to-hand, and her hair is curled and flowing the whole time. Now I don’t know much about the comics, but, as an average movie-watcher, it’s always bothered me. So forgive me if such a trivial detail has had such an impact on me. Because it demonstrates strength. And it’s just one piece of how Black Widow successfully created a storyline laced with vulnerability in such a way that made the women stronger as opposed to needy. Hair down to hair up is a key element of this transformation.

For years, Dreykov (Ray Winstone and one of the creepiest villains-to-date) exploited the emotional vulnerability and the sexuality of orphaned and discarded girls and controlled them in order to maintain his power over the world’s most influential leaders. We know this because we have seen Natasha use it in previous films, whether she is using staged modelling photos to distract Tony from her identity or secretly interrogating Loki by using her past as a tool to get what she wants out of him. She was trained to do that, and so were the hundreds of Widows trained after her. The ponytail, the braids, even the earrings…all of them work together as a visual representation of the strength of these women to do what needs to be done. In Black Widow, they are being freed from the constraints of how they have been viewed and used by those around them.

And for me at least, it’s about dang time. If I’m not going to clean with my hair in my face, I sure as heck ain’t saving the world with it in my face. And now my heroes don’t have to either.

Black Widow is now available in theatres and on Disney+.