Argentinian auteur Lisandro Alonso explores the harsh lives and dismal treatment of indigenous people across three timelines and settings in Eureka, a thought-provoking, minimalist triptych fable that defies convention at every turn. Each story has common themes of violence, loss, sadness, and the drunken morass of desperation with no possibility of escape. The characters search for relief from ugly surroundings that sap their spirits. They are caught in an unforgiving cycle of poverty and addiction that fuels a sense of futility. Eureka’s contemplative approach and deep character focus is remarkable, but it’s sluggish pacing and long cinematic beats may be off-putting to audiences used to quick edits and easy resolutions.
Viggo Mortensen stars in the first narrative as Murphy, a gunslinger on a murderous mission in 1870 Mexico. He’s dropped off near a lawless town rife with debauchery and criminality. Gunshots are heard throughout as half-naked prostitutes cavort with seedy customers while the dead and inebriated litter ramshackle streets. The Indian locals vary from participants to enablers as Murphy proceeds with his ruthless business. He’s looking for someone important and is willing to kill anyone he faces to find her.
Alonso films his first story in stark black and white with a 4:3 aspect ratio from the bygone days of tube television. This visual cue is important and makes sense as the film progresses. The utter depravity and casual disregard for life sets a foundational bedrock. The town is a hellish pit with wide open streets but an invisible barrier of uncertainty for those looking to flee. Murphy gets a big surprise after plowing his way through baddies. What you seek isn’t always what’s expected.
Eureka Goes Modern in an Excellent Second Act
Eureka’s second part is the most impactful. Set in modern times, Debonna (Alaina Clifford), referred to as “174” by the initially unseen police dispatcher, is a Lakota officer patrolling the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Her day begins early in bitterly cold weather with a powerful snowstorm approaching. Sadie Lapointe co-stars as Sadie, her teenage daughter who tries to help disaffected youths through a basketball league. Debonna’s patrol is a soul-crushing journey through hopelessness. She encounters drunken malaise, petty squabbling, and a total lack of respect for her authority.
Meanwhile, Sadie is forced to contend with rampant incarceration and a suicide epidemic. Young people, especially girls, have resorted to drastic measures in alarming numbers. Sadie tries her best but cannot emotionally handle the reservation’s unceasing burdens. Debonna shares Sadie’s demoralized outlook. She has to handle every incident by herself because there are not enough officers to help. Alonso shows how even the strongest and most righteous struggle to maintain their mental health. You can only be a stalwart rock for so long before the brutal environment chips away at your resolve.
A Third Act Falters & Requires Great Patience
Eureka’s final act, and perhaps the least cohesive in the overall context, takes place in the Brazilian Amazon during the early 1970s. Adanilo Costa plays an unnamed native who gets in big trouble with his small tribe. The economic devastation affecting the world at that time — inflation, oil embargoes, and widespread unemployment — affected even the most remote areas. The Native resorts to panning for gold under an unscrupulous overseer (José María Yazpik) who also doubts his honesty. Greed and treachery take hold as the other workers believe he’s hiding ill-gotten spoils.
Alonso’s editing style runs out of steam at this point. His message regarding the native’s situation is clear. Long scenes of panning an Amazon tributary aren’t necessary for the audience to understand the lengths poor people with no choices are willing to go. That said, Alonso’s extended focus on Debonna in her police cruiser fighting exasperation hits the mark. There’s no one to listen to her complaints or offer support. Letting that scene unfurl in a quiet manner with only the protagonist’s reaction speaks volumes.
Often Mystifying & Abstract, Eureka Is a Pensive Study of Indigenous Lives
Eureka’s title was admittedly mystifying. I struggled to understand its meaning until a press primer answered the burning question. Alonso has a large heron observing the action in each story. Eureka refers to the bird’s name and its ability to cross space and time. That nugget of information could never have been gleaned by just watching the film. It’s definitely abstract and serves as the primary thread connecting each chapter. What the heron represents remains unanswered for this reviewer. Alonso takes artistic license for better or worse in this regard. The heron’s lack of exposition may confound some and be utterly inconsequential to others.
Eureka is a deliberative experience. There are no shortcuts over two and a half pensive hours. Those with short attention spans won’t last beyond the first act. Patience is a virtue and a necessity here, and it ultimately pays off thanks to Alonso’s truthful and unflinching depiction of Indigenous lives and issues.
Eureka is a production of 4L, Luxbox, Komplizen Film, and Woo Films et al. It will have a staggered national release beginning on September 20th in select markets from Film Movement.
