‘Neither Wolf nor Dog’

Acclaimed film focusing on Lakota life stars an Oklahoma City actor.

NR 1:50

Adapted from the novel by Kent Nerburn, “Neither Wolf Nor Dog” follows a researcher and author as he examines modern Native American life on and around the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

Director Steven Lewis Simpson does an excellent job capturing the sense of place of the reservation; the film is rich in detail whether the camera is on an abandoned church, an aging green Buick, or the expressive face of an actor.

The late Dave Bald Eagle plays Dan, a Native American elder who has his granddaughter contact Kent Nerburn (Christopher Sweeney) after reading a book in which Nerburn was involved. (While the book “Neither Wolf Nor Dog” is called a novel, it appears to have been in part inspired by real people.)

Nerburn travels from Minnesota to South Dakota, where, after a few challenges, he meets Dan, who says he wants his help formatting his box of notes into a coherent book.

After Nerburn’s first attempt puts Dan to sleep, he talks with Dan’s close friend Grover (played by Oklahoma native Richard Ray Whitman), who tries to convince Nerburn to see the reality of modern Native American life and how that intersects with the past.

Nerburn feels he’s not up to the task — but car trouble forces him onto a road trip with Grover and Dan, where he’s exposed to the indignities of casual racism. And he confronts Dan with what they have in common: grief about pasts that can’t be changed. It’s not entirely comfortable viewing, and it shouldn’t be. It’s a slow burn as a film, and some may see it as heavy handed in places. But the beauty, strength and honesty captured on film make it a true gem of a movie.

Starring: Dave Bald Eagle, Christopher Sweeney, Richard Ray Whitman, Roseanne Supernault, Tatanka Means (Strong language)

— Matthew Price,

The Oklahoman