Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Underrated Chickasaw hero gets her due in earnest biopic.
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Te Ata
What's the Story?
Based on the true story of Mary Thompson Fisher, TE ATA tells how she became one of the greatest Native American performers of all time. Born into the Chickasaw tribe in 1895, Te Ata (Q'orianka Kilcher) is the daughter of proud Native leader T.B. Thompson (Gil Birmingham) and the niece of longtime Chickasaw Nation governor Douglas Johnston (Graham Greene). She becomes the first Native woman to attend the Oklahoma Women's College, where a sympathetic teacher (along with the isolation she experiences) convinces Te Ata that she can and should perform onstage, telling the stories she's learned from her people. But in an era when the crowning ambition of every actress is to make it on Broadway, how can Te Ata find an audience—and make a living—with her utterly unique act, championing the history and culture of a downtrodden people?
Is It Any Good?
Meaningful, moving, and focused on a fascinating woman who made a major cultural impact, this earnest biopic is affecting, if a little slow-moving. Shedding light on a dark chapter of American history, Te Ata teases out details of how real people were affected by shameful U.S. legislation that made Native practices, religious rites, and even objects such as eagle feathers and traditional long hairstyles illegal. It also illustrates the pain often felt by those who feel different and unwelcome, showing us a young Te Ata who sits alone on her college lawn, isolated while her classmates walk by in little groups of two and three.
But it's not long before Te Ata/Mary receives some great advice from a teacher: that being utterly different from those around you can be an advantage. What Te Ata can show the world is something unique from the "little sugar cookies" who won't sit by her in class. And in this drama (and, without a doubt, in real life), Te Ata's performances—reenacted on the big screen by the mesmerizing Kilcher—are so powerful and evocative that they may move viewers to shed a few tears. Te Ata is quiet and deliberate. And in championing a woman who opened both eyes and hearts, it provides Te Ata her rightful place in the pantheon of women who made history.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Te Ata's life. What makes her story a good inspiration for a movie? What other people would you like to see movies made about?
How does Te Ata show courage and perseverance in her decision to stay true to her heritage in her performance career? Why are these important character strengths? Do you consider her a role model?
How accurate do you think the movie is compared to what actually happened? Why might filmmakers choose to tweak the facts in movies that are based on true stories?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 13, 2017
- On DVD or streaming : November 7, 2017
- Cast : Q'Orianka Kilcher , Graham Greene , Gil Birmingham
- Director : Nathan Frankowski
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Indigenous Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s) , Multiracial Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Paladin
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Arts , History
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some thematic elements including a brief violent image
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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