Sasquatch Sunset

Sasquatch Sunset
Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Riley Keough, Christophe Zajac-Denek, Nathan Zellner
Directed by The Zellner Brothers

There's something people have been talking about a lot lately - the lack of originality in movies. The majority of big screens are occupied by sequels, prequels, movies based off other mediums, and superhero movies. There doesn't seem to be a lot of original content out there, and when there is, they're hardly seen because many of the people who complain that there's no originality won't go see them because they're something they're not used to, and are worried about spending their money on something they know nothing about. "Sasquatch Sunset" is one such unique film, a movie that's clearly not for everyone, and even I found myself wondering why I was watching it, because it seemed that not a lot happens. However, even days after seeing it, it's been living in my head rent free, and since then I've grown to appreciate it for the unique story it tells, and how compelling it is despite no dialogue being spoken.

Deep in the woods where man hasn't touched, a family of Sasquatch - the alpha male (Nathan Zellner), the male (Jesse Eisenberg), the female (Riley Keough) and the child (Christophe Zajac-Denek) traverse the wilderness in search of shelter, food, and community. They knock on trees in hoping to communicate with other Sasquatch to no avail, and essentially just live their lives day-to-day. As a year goes by, we see their journey as they love, loss, and deal with an ever-changing world that's happening around them - all while they communicate with grunts and exaggerated motions of the body.

On paper it doesn't seem like a movie that offers a lot to the senses of the audience, and to an extent that's correct. Ever since "talkies" overtook silent film, there's hardly been a movie out there completely devoid of dialogue. It's something we, as audience members, rely on to understand the story, the characters' motives, and the overall plot. Without it, we're left with a sense of unease, worried that we won't understand what's happening on screen. "Sasquatch Sunset" squelches that fear by giving the bipedal creatures deeply humanistic characteristics that we can all relate to - the male is free-loving and inquisitive, with a sense of protection; the female is maternal for the younger Sasquatch while also carrying one in her stomach; the alpha male is the older Sasquatch who resents the younger; the child is care-free and innocent, enjoying the setting around him as the female keeps him from harm. It's your perfect family, but only in Sasquatch form.

It's weird, but it's this family dynamic that makes them very relatable to us: we too have families and have taken on different roles to keep the family unit together and safe, as they do here. They hunt, fish, bang sticks against trees, love, loss, and defecate - like us humans. They long for connection and community - like us humans. They express themselves with grunts, whoops and screams - well, not like us humans, but thanks to their ability to relate to the audience that really doesn't matter. We get the gist of the story through their facial expressions, their body movements and the tone of their grunts. We're not left behind, but instead feel like we're watching a nature documentary only without the sophisticated British narration.

In a world where CGI dominates over practical effects, "Sasquatch Sunset" takes the old school approach by putting its cast members in layers and layers of makeup and costumes to make themselves fully Sasquatch. To that end they could've cast anyone in the roles, but putting Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough as the leads was something incredible - it really stretched the actors' abilities and they really shined through it, as did Christophe Zajac-Denek and Nathan Zellner (who also co-directed). They're so good - and the costume and makeup is so on-point - you do actually feel like you're watching a documentary, and that Sasquatches are real (which I personally believe they are). Throw in Mike Gioulakis' dazzling cinematography (that's so lush and beautiful that it actually makes you feel like you should never traverse that landscape because it's like stepping on holy ground) and you've got a film that needs to be seen to be believed - but again, it's not for everyone. But if you do see it, do it with an open mind and an understanding that it's not a traditional movie - it's something much more different.

The Score: B+