Johnny Greyeyes (2001) Reviews

A woman who has committed a capital crime finds love and strength behind bars in this hard-edged independent drama from Canada. Johnny Greyeyes (Gail Maurice) is a woman from a Native North American family who has gained firsthand knowledge of the hard side of life. After her abusive father was shot and killed, Johnny was found guilty of the crime and had to serve a long sentence in a lock-up where most of the inmates literally fight for their lives. Behind bars, Johnny makes friends with Lana (Columpa C. Bobb), a tough but good-hearted fellow inmate. Johnny and Lana's relationship soon graduates from friendship to love, and Lana gives Johnny the sort of affection and support she never received from her family. But as Johnny is about to be released, she finds she has to reconcile her new life with Lana with her desire to hold what's left of her family together; she's especially worried about her younger brother, Clay (Jonathan Fisher), an unsuccessful musician who is sinking into the ways of a small-time crook. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi