“Fancy Dance” confirms Lily Gladstone’s success in “Killers of the Flower Moon” wasn’t a fluke.
Here, she plays an outwardly tough but inwardly vulnerable Native woman who just wants to learn what happened to her sister. Expected to dance with her daughter, Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) at a powwow, the woman hasn’t had contact with Jax (Gladstone) for two weeks.
Isabel DeRoy-Olson, left, and Lily Gladstone go on the road in “Fancy Dance,” looking for a missing relative.
That suggests foul play but authorities are slow to investigate. Jax, as a result, decides to take matters into her own hands and begin a search. In the process, she poses questions about foster parenting, reservation apathy, and family ties.
Co-written and directed by Erica Tremblay, “Fancy Dance” isn’t a political statement as much as it’s a regrettable fact of life. It nudges viewers to understand what is unfolding and, hopefully, realize why people like Jax mistrust those in authority. This doesn’t use big hammers; it chips away, first at the heart.
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That’s where Gladstone is so valuable. Behind those monotone inquiries, there’s a concerned – often frightened – woman who just wants the truth. Jax is a character who hasn’t been present in many films and could find a place in others. With her, Gladstone is creating a niche – if she wants it.
