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I love this movie so much

Undescribable Perfection

Don't Believe the Hype

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

I liked this film since it had a nice blend of Navajo culture with mystery and suspense. Adam Beach, Wes Studi and Jimmy Herman did well in this as they do in all their films. Three other films where they also star in, "A Thief of Time", "Skinwalkers" and "Coyote Summer" all have interesting themes of how Native cultures blend in with mystery/suspense although one of them may not directly deal with cultural issues in itself. If I am not mistaken, at least 3 of the 4 films have to do with murder cases where Native cultures are widely portrayed in order to help find the people responsible for the murders. Another reason why I liked this one is because Alex Rice is in it. I'm a big fan of hers and I liked the role she played as lawyer Janet Pete. ANYWAYS.... this film along with the other 3 mentioned all go hand in hand. This is why I gave it a 7 out of 10.

As a longtime Tony Hillerman fan I looked forward to a better treatment of his Jim Chee novels than previous efforts. Visually Coyote Waits was very attractive but unfortunately was unable to impart the feel of the long lonely roads and the dry heat of the four corners region. The film was somewhat better at giving us a glimpse of Navajo culture, but unfortunately it was only a glimpse. In particular I missed the periods of silence and waiting we learned about in the books. Sure that's dead time in a visual medium, but that is important to the Navajo culture and the novels. The plot was very close to the novel, and the few concessions that were made were quite understandable. I hope we see more of Capt. Largo, Lt. Leaphorn and more insight into Officer Chee in future Hillerman treatments. All in all, worth a watch and certainly better than the formula mysteries we see regularly on broadcast TV.

While watching this movie, you follow two Navajo police officers as they uncover the truth behind a series of murders. This enjoyable, well acted, film keeps you guessing until the end. Due to the scenery, it is visually entertaining as it maintains a good story line. At the same time, the characters are full of life and emotion, but not so much as to overwhelm the mystery lurking beneath the story line. Adam Beech and Wes Studi both give good, believable performances. As this is an intelligent persons movie, I would recommend this film to people who do not need graphic violence or bad language to enjoy a film.

Based on a Tony Hillerman novel, "Coyote Waits" brings back characters familiar to viewers of "Skinwalkers" and 1991's "Dark Wind", which starred Fred Ward and Lou Diamond Phillips. If you have not seen the previous films, you can still enjoy "Coyote Waits" for its own sake.Adam Beach reprises his "Skinwalkers" role as "Jim Chee", alongside other "Skinwalkers" veterans, Sheila Tousey, and Wes Studi. None of the three are actually Navajo, though they are Native American. Personally I think casting should be based on the best actor for the part, and would have liked to see Phillips reprise his role. Beach is not a Navajo either and is still learning his craft; Phillips is a seasoned veteran. (Before folks get upset let me say this, tribal background should be taken in account when casting Native American roles. It is insulting to insist the tribes are interchangeable. Recall how silly it was for a Swedish accented actor to play a Frenchman in "Good Will Hunting"? It is the same point here.)Presented in letterbox format, the scenery is at once mystical, isolating and all-encompassing. The production values lift it above "made for tv" status. The language, mild by todays standards, does use the popular term for excrement several times, but not gratuitously. The scenery is beautiful. The picture-postcard-blue of one scene's sky is so beautiful it brings a tear to the eye.The plot is not as meaty as it could have been and some roles could have been eliminated without too much loss to the whole.The intentions are good but there comes a time when intentions should be removed from the equation. "Coyote Waits" is not as fulfilling as it could have been, regardless of its intentions.