Watch Off the Rez

Off the Rez is a gripping documentary movie that follows the incredible journey of a young Native American girl who aspires to become a basketball player. The movie, which was released in 2011 and directed by Jonathan Hock, features the real-life story of Shoni Schimmel, a talented high school basketball player from the Umatilla tribe in Oregon.

The movie starts by introducing the audience to Shoni's mother, Ceci Moses, who is a revered coach in the Native American basketball community. Ceci was a famous basketball player in her youth and has a deep passion for the sport, which she wants to pass on to her daughters. Shoni, who is the youngest of her four daughters, has an innate talent for basketball and is determined to make it to the big leagues.

However, playing basketball outside the reservation is not an easy feat for the girls. They come from a small town with limited resources, and their high school team is not particularly competitive. In order to fulfill their dreams, the girls must leave the reservation and enroll in a larger school that can give them the exposure they need to get recruited by college teams.

Off the Rez follows Shoni and her family as they navigate this new world of basketball and the challenges that come with it. The movie shows the sacrifices that Shoni and her family have to make in order to pursue her dreams. They go through financial struggles, have to deal with the pressures of being away from home and navigate the cultural and racial divide that exists in the sport.

One of the most outstanding aspects of the movie is the strong characterizations of the main cast. The director does an excellent job of portraying the Moses family as a tight-knit unit, who are all invested in each other's dreams. The viewer gets a real sense of the love, respect and support that Ceci has for her daughters and their ambitions.

Moreover, the movie also explores the unique challenges faced by the Native American community in America. It sheds light on the historical oppression and injustices that have been inflicted on this group, making basketball a way to express their emotions, and a way to prove themselves through passion.

The basketball scenes in Off the Rez are compelling and well directed. The director combines slow-motion shots, close-ups of the players' faces and reactions, and dynamic visuals of the games to capture the intensity and drama of the sport. The movie never slows down, and the narrative is riveting from start to finish.

Overall, Off the Rez is a must-watch for anyone interested in basketball, Native American culture, overcoming adversity, chasing dreams, and family values. It's a cinematic masterpiece that beautifully tells an inspiring and motivating story, which will surely leave viewers with a sense of awe and appreciation for the human spirit.

Off the Rez is a 2011 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 9.1.