Trudell (2004)

33% of critics liked it
(30 reviews)
68% of users liked it
(3,287 ratings)

John Trudell is a poet, musician, actor, and political activist who has been speaking out on behalf of the Native American people with intelligence and passion since the late '60s. Trudell took part in the 1969 occupation of Alcatraz Island by the activist group Indians of All Tribes, who intended… More John Trudell is a poet, musician, actor, and political activist who has been speaking out on behalf of the Native American people with intelligence and passion since the late '60s. Trudell took part in the 1969 occupation of Alcatraz Island by the activist group Indians of All Tribes, who intended to use the former prison as a school for Native American youth. Trudell eventually became one of IOAT's leading spokesmen, and in 1973 became chairman of the American Indian Movement (AIM), which would become the most visible and powerful Native American activist group. In 1979, not long after a protest in which Trudell and other AIM members burned an American flag in front of FBI headquarters, his wife, mother-in-law, and three daughters died in a fire. Some have suggested that the fire was an arson set by FBI operatives (the Bureau has a 17,000 page file on Trudell, in which he is described as "extremely eloquent, therefore extremely dangerous"). Trudell turned to poetry to help him express his grief over the death of his family and his concerns over the state of America; musician Jackson Browne admired his writings, and encouraged him to put his words to music, and with the help of collaborators such as Jesse Ed Davis and Mark Shark, Trudell began recording a series of albums which combined lyrics confronting political and personal issues with music that touched on blues, rock, and Native American themes. Well into the new millennium, Trudell remains a powerful voice in both political and creative circles, and Native American filmmaker Heather Rae spent 12 years following Trudell and interviewing him, his friends, and his colleagues to create the documentary Trudell. Created with Trudell's participation and approval, the film won the Special Jury Prize as Best Documentary at the 2005 Seattle Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: Heather Rae
Genres: Documentary, Drama, Special Interest

In Theaters: Feb 24, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Mar 20, 2007
Studio: Balcony Releasing

Critic Reviews

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Combines a minimum of critical distance and a maximum of gratuitous flash.
Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter
Rae's reluctance to delve into more complex, personal or specific territory -- with anecdotes, for example -- limits viewer involvement.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
[John] Trudell is the compelling presence at the heart of Trudell, Heather Rae's fascinating but superficial treatment of the poet, singer and tilter-at-windmills who has been at the barricades from the get-go.
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
By preaching so relentlessly to the choir, this film misses an opportunity to show what got them to sing in the first place.
Erin Meister, Boston Globe
Despite the rambling finish, however, overall the film is a thought-provoking and graceful portrait of a tenacious peace warrior whose frankness is his greatest weapon.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
Politics aside, Trudell plays like an infomercial for its subject rather than a serious examination of the man and his beliefs.
Kam Williams, EURWeb
A bittersweet bio-pic which presents an articulate, defiant and sensitive soul who promises to remain committed to resistance till he draws his last breath.
Kam Williams, Upstage Magazine
A bittersweet bio-pic which presents an articulate, defiant and sensitive soul who promises to remain committed to resistance till he draws his last breath.
Maria Garcia, Film Journal International
Like many "documentaries" that are essentially homages, Trudell often lacks context.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
The movie tries to do too much, sandwiching in extraneous histories of the Indian occupation of Alcatraz, for instance, and skimming quickly past the mysterious fire that killed Trudell's wife and children.
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
"Trudell" may be a one-sided work of propaganda, but it's effective, well-crafted and informative propaganda.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
This documentary feature is more concerned with telling us about Trudell's many exploits than with telling us about the man. As a result, it feels superficial, and the tone is much too reverential.
, E! Online
Short on the meat of documentary -- archival detail-- and long on hero worship ...
Tim Grierson, L.A. Weekly
How could a movie about someone with one of the nation's longest FBI files be this dull?
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A tribute to the focused and prophetic Native poet and activist who loves the Earth and has made many stands for the dignity of his people.
Andy Klein, Los Angeles CityBeat
...should all be interesting, but Rae goes that extra mile to make it alternately dull and irritating.
Phil Hall, Film Threat
Trudell's activism is more compelling than his poetry or performance art.
Jordan Reed, Boxoffice Magazine
Rae borrows a bit heavily from the Oliver Stone school of filmmaking: Quick cuts of seemingly random footage do more to draw attention to a possible dearth of relevant background materials than to evoke ideas of Native American history and struggle.