Danielle Deadwyler and Michael Greyeyes are empowered parents repairing generational wounds, ensuring survival and navigating the challenges of raising teenagers in the recently released film “40 Acres.”

When I read the title 40 Acres, I thought of the broken promise made 160 years ago to enslaved African Americans. So, I expected to watch a film about people trying to get their share or defending their right to get theirs. 

The opening scene drops us into a post-apocalyptic world where the blended Freeman family is fighting to survive and defending the most valuable global resource: farmland. Food scarcity has justified the savage side of all humanity. Civilization has been replaced by the ruthless need to conquer and claim whatever can be taken or controlled.

The Freeman family, led by Hailey Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler) — a descendant of an enslaved African American man who escaped to rural Canada and secured 40 acres of land — and her husband defend their home with the deadly precision of a military unit. This aspect of the family dynamic introduces us to the underlying conflict between the family roles that honour past sacrifices, keep traditions alive, and respect the individual’s freedom to shape their own lives. 

Deadwyler is compelling as Hailey, the matriarch of the family, who feels she must tap into her military training to keep her family alive. The theme of a Black mother’s need to be strict and strong is not a new trope, and in this apocalyptic state of the world, I understood her strict rules to keep the family safe. 

It is clear what is at stake. But what is also clear is that past family issues, war, generational trauma all take a backseat to the needs of adolescents who put companionship and independence ahead of everything, possibly compromising their very survival.

The coming-of-age aspect of the storyline seemed too short-lived, and while there were some overlooked areas of growth, it also felt as complicated as, regretfully, raising a teenager can be.

We glimpse chemistry between Hailey and her Indigenous husband, played by strong actor Michael Greyeyes, camaraderie with her daughters, played by Jaeda LeBlanc and Haile Amare, and a bond with her step-daughter (Leenah Robinson). However, there seemed to have been some missed opportunities to see other aspects of growth between her and her son Manny (Kataem O’Connor).

The different layers of race mixed with the dynamics of a blended family gave the story depth. That made me want to root for their family’s survival because of everything it took for them to make it to where we meet them. 

This storyline may not be unique, but the depiction of the intergenerational trauma,  highlighting the shared experience of colonialism on the enslaved Africans and Indigenous peoples of North America, tripled with nuances of emotional intelligence, is a testament to the talent of first-time director R.T. Thorne.

His grasp of character development, which led to decisions, situations, choices and positions, combined with his action scene directing in the film, keeps you engaged and leaves you wanting more action. 

This film is an allegorical depiction of the violent effects of trying to heal generational trauma and attending to the urgent demands of survival, while parenting teenagers. 

Fly, Toronto, Ontario