julian-mumford

Kiwi director Taika Waititi of "Boy" and "What We Do In the Shadows" fame will shortly be stepping into the big leagues directing the next "Thor" movie.

In the meantime he has conjured up another slice of real Kiwi life on a budget that would probably fail to cover the catering bill for his new movie. Waititi translates Kiwi writer Barry Crump's book into a screenplay full of Kiwiana, irony and humour.

We meet Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) as the local police (Oscar Kightley) and "enthusiastic" Child Care worker "Paula" (Rachel House), attempt to rehouse the young Maori lad with his new adoptive foster parents. "Aunt Bella" (Rima Te Wiata), child loving and with a heart of gold together with husband "Hec" (Sam Neill), a loner bushman with little desire to house a young delinquent.

Ricky's long list of offences are mentioned, including "smashing stuff and throwing rocks" but Paula is very determined, oft repeating her personal motto, "no child left behind".

The opening scene sets the tone perfectly, as Ricky carefully surveys his new accommodation and quietly returns to the police car.

Despite finding his new basic rural surroundings somewhat bewildering, including a gloriously bloody wild pig hunt, Ricky starts to become part of the family as he is showered by Aunt Bella's practical love and understanding.

Following an event, Ricky and Hec strike out on their own into the New Zealand bush as a national man hunt for the pair commences. Can they get on, will Hec's heart eventually melt, if indeed he can find it? This is a comedy drama with emphasis on the humour with incompetent hunters, crazy bushmen (Rhys Darby) and comical situations. However framed with underlying sadness and a serious story under pinning the whole endeavour. The tone is reminiscent of director Waititi's' "Boy" and manages to stay consistent throughout. Waititi even allowing himself a brief cameo, to great comedic effect.

There are plenty of belly laughs for those that understand and know New Zealand well. Neill essaying your everyday "she'll be right" Kiwi bloke, whilst providing a much needed straight man to all the shenanigans.

Some scenes are pushed too far, with Paula's quest going to ridiculous length's for the sake of comedy and Darby overbalancing his scenes with his usual shtick. Somehow with the solid anchor of Dennison's fresh performance and Neill's experience, the ship manages to stay the right way up.

The New Zealand bush is shown in all it's glory with the addition of a great choral track to accompany the shots of the overhead tree canopy.

Overall a much more approachable and enjoyable film than "Shadows" which will play especially well with Kiwi's and Australians but does have broader appeal.

Summary

Hugely enjoyable comedy adventure with serious undertones and represents a real return to form for Waititi. It's also good to see Sam Neill on the big screen again, opposite a great new young talent.

With a title that will confuse many, this film has it's work cut out from the get go.

Shy fourteen year old "Duncan" (Liam James) accompanies his divorced mum "Pam" (Toni Collette), her new boyfriend "Trent" and his teenage daughter "Steph" (Zoe Levin) on a summer holiday to Trent's beach house in Massachusetts.

Sitting at the very back of the old station-wagon, hence the title, Duncan knows this is not going to go well and he will not be disappointed. On the trip Trent asks if he was to rate himself 1 to 10 where would he stand, Duncan is confused. Trent handily supplies a three, so plenty of scope for improvement, therein ending the questionable motivational speech.

The situation does not improve at the beach, the girls go do catty teenage girl stuff in a rigidly hierarchical group and Duncan is paired off with the nerdy son of the local lush "Betty" (Alison Janney). Betty means well, at least she does once she has a glass in her hand.

We also get to meet Trent's local party friends "Kip" (Rob Corddry) and "Joan" (Amanda Peet) and before long everyone is having a swimming time, literally and figuratively. Everyone apart from Duncan who feels and acts like the proverbial third leg. Stumbling across a local water-park employee "Owen" (Sam Rockwell) playing "Pacman", the two form a bond which enables Duncan to work casually at the water-park and fill his days.

This is a classic coming of age story and James fits the bill very well, acting just like a shy fourteen year old, all elbows, bad dancing and hopeless "chit chat" with Betty's pretty daughter.

With a cast this good, you would expect the acting to be of a high standard, Carrell playing against type makes an unlike-able character, thoroughly unlike-able. Janney does "well intended but over bearing" well enough but the stand out as usual is Collett. Generating bonhomie, real and faux one moment, leading to a quiet realisation, awkwardness and alienation the next.

The subtext of older people making compromises due to sheer practicality comes to the fore, is it ever worth settling for less, if it impacts those you love? Those who occasionally play board games on a rainy day will also enjoy one particular key scene. Has there ever been a time when, "Let's check the rules on the lid of the box", ended well.

Rockwell usually watchable, remains so here but is saddled with an unlikely character, although the mentor/father relationship with Duncan does work reasonably well. The fact the "pool gang" help shape Duncan into the person he will become, rings true but the film sags badly in the middle section, almost grinding to a halt at one point. There are some questionable scenes and character quirk diversions, which distracts from the central theme.

Dual director's Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, are also seen in the movie. Rash as "Lewis", the slightly odd towel and bathing hut attendant. Lewis is always about to leave for better things but like everyone else, seems stuck in time and familiarity. Faxon as lecherous pool slide attendant "Roddy", stop/ starting the line to indulge his skimpy bathing costume passion, a trick he dubiously teaches Duncan

Summary

A coming of age tale that at 103 minutes achieves what it sets out to do in the allotted time.

A gentle film with a promising start and ending on a flourish. By no means the best example of the genre but due to the strength of the cast, the film just about makes it home from the beach.

Two average suburban American families, meet up to celebrate Thanksgiving together, everything is normal, safe and secure.

Both families take great care to ensure their younger daughters are accompanied between households. Whilst out, they briefly climb and play on an RV that is parked in the street, they come back inside the house.

Later they decide to out again, same ritual but this time they do not come back, the older children did not accompany them, everything is not normal, nothing will ever be safe and secure again.

The parents of "Anna", god fearing and practical survivalist "Keller Dover" (Hugh Jackman) and his wife "Grace" (Maria Bello), look in all the usual places. The respective parents of "Kyla", "Franklin" (Terrence Howard) and "Nancy" (Viola Davis) also come up short, the young girls have disappeared, the police are called.

Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) has seen it all before, he is sympathetic, diligent and above all, realistic. The Police get a lucky break, the RV is spotted locally and before long the driver is in custody.

Alex Jones (Paul Dano) is everyone's idea of someone that could abduct young children, with Jeffrey Dahmer style glasses, strange ways, hushed voice and the mental age of a ten year old. Soon he is a prime suspect, but following questioning the police are obliged to let him go.

The film centres around how far you would go, to find out what you need to know. If the information is important enough, what might you do to find your loved ones? To use the well known quote from Nietzsche, "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process, he does not become a monster".

When the children disappear, the initial casual concern escalates and is believably portrayed, making every parents nightmare real. The film asks some difficult questions, with no easy answers. Hugh Jackman plays a character we have not seen from him before. Whilst on occasion the acting is visible, perhaps due to how we normally perceive him. However, this is most definitely no Wolverine in civvies. All the central characters are good, notably Gyllenhaal and Jackman who are given the most to do.

Davis and Bello as the grieving mothers are equally strong, as their known world starts to collapse around them. Both cope in different ways, driving a wedge into their relationships with their partners.

However, Dano is the actor to watch. With so few words of dialogue, he still manages to convey a character who is at once, terrified, an object of pity, suspicion and yet still very obviously human.

The film is filmed in a gritty down to earth, suburban grey and rain soaked style. Like the "Killing" TV series or "Seven", without the horror element. These are real people, in ordinary locations and everyday clothes. The abnormality of the crime screaming from behind white picket fences.

There is much portentous music and on occasion we are being told what to feel but overall, this is classy, intelligent work. Guessing who did what, when and why is what these movies are all about and this does not disappoint.

Some have drawn parallels with the War on Terror, this reviewer did not draw that conclusion, although it could be easily found. On this occasion, maybe a "cigar is just a cigar", what you see is what you get.

By necessity the film is adult in content, however the violence is not gratuitous and whilst certain undercurrents exist, there is nothing obvious to make viewing uncomfortable. The ending deserves a mention, knowing when to fade to black is an art. Canadian director Denis Villeneuve in his largest project to date, has chosen well.

Summary

Anchored with strong performances, an excellent thriller with a solid human drama centre.

A long film at 153 minutes but they disappear quickly, with the audience desperate to know what happens next.

Recommended