This year, the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival delivered some great treats, including a special screening of the new indigenous-themed film Gangland, starring Lou Diamond Phillips. Now, when CLAIFF screened the movie, it went by the title Keep Quiet, a title I honestly prefer, but that doesn’t change my opinion of the movie at all. First of all, it was great to see Phillips in the lead role, carrying an intriguing story involving a community of Native Americans caught up in violent crime turmoil. It also pleased me to see Lou Diamond Phillips shine so brightly once again, considering that he was so good in his film debut, La Bamba, where he portrayed the iconic, Mexican-American rock ‘n roller Ritchie Valens in a mostly compelling biopic.
In a reservation community of Native Americans, Sheriff Teddy Sharpe (Phillips) works hard to protect the people of his town. And while there is some crime, drug, and gang activity, he has been willing to let some things slide. However, as violence begins to escalate and the bodies start to add up, Sharpe must get off his ass and do some serious police work. As he digs deeper into the root causes of the problems, Teddy must finally decide to take a stand for what is right.
Directed by Vincent Grashaw and written by Zach Montague, Gangland (or Keep Quiet) is a very riveting and tumultuous film that examines the dark side of the modern Native American experience on a reservation. The tension is palpable, and the movie succeeds in keeping its audience invested in the good characters while also making a case for some of the bad actions of the characters who commit the crimes. I wasn’t sure exactly what I had signed up to watch, but I was ultimately pleased I chose to spend my time experiencing this story and these characters.
The movie has a fantastic cast of actors. Again, it was a delight to see Lou Diamond Phillips pour his heart and passion into the lead role and imbue his character with such conviction. The movie also stars Nick Stahl as Darius Humphrey, another law enforcement officer who does not share Teddy’s moral compass. The movie also features a wonderful assortment of Native American actors, such as Irene Bedard and Kimberly Guerrero, who help make this film feel all the more genuine.
An added bonus at the festival was that both Lou Diamond Phillips and Nick Stahl were in attendance to promote and support their movie. Following the movie, the festival screened a 35mm print of La Bamba, which Phillips also introduced. I must hand it to the programmers of this year’s festival because this was also an absolute treat to experience for my first time in the theater. Gangland is now playing in select theaters and is also available on some streaming services. It is a movie I highly recommend.