“Welcome to my interesting world!” From these introductory words in "Boy", we enter the life of a pre-adolescent male named Boy, who is a professed Michael Jackson (of “Thriller” fame) fan and is possessed of an out there imagination, especially when it comes to his father (of no fame). It’s Waihau Bay, New Zealand in November 1984 and Boy is about to face the reality of his not so well-known father, who is not quite the master carver, deep sea treasure diver, and soldier of Boy’s imaginings. Also included in Boy’s life are his “powerful” younger brother Rocky, the girl for whom he dances (a la Jackson), Chardonnay, and the inevitable older school bullies.
During the time Boy, Rocky, and several cousins are on their own while their grandmother attends a funeral miles away, Boy’s and Rocky’s father, Alamein appears one night in the company of two friends from jail looking for Alamein’s mother (the grandmother). Now the fun begins - from the serving of tea to the three men in the car, to the giving out of obviously stolen “presents”, to getting to know the father Boy barely remember and Rocky never did. Between Alamein’s stories, antics and playing as the Incredible Hulk and a Samurai Warrior, Boy and Rocky are entertained by their father before the real reason for Alamein’s homecoming come to the fore.
And what is that reason? To retrieve a stash of stolen money that Alamein buried in a field before going off to jail. He and his two friends are digging up the field and Boy joins in the game of “buried treasure” and bringing Alamein aromatic plants from a neighbor’s field. However Boy soon becomes disillusioned with Alamein when he doesn’t want Boy to call him Dad because “it’s weird”; the disastrous result of Boy’s finding the money, and the realization that Alamein won’t take Boy with him when he leaves. There is a confrontation and later a reconciliation between Boy, Rocky, and Alamein at the gravesite of Boy’s and Rocky’s mother, who had died giving birth to Rocky. In the end perhaps Boy realizes that Alamein is some version of the Samurai that Alamein wants to be and describes as “someone who lives outside the law, but they’re still cool”. Well this film is cool, funny, a joy to watch, and with a little growing up included.
Stayed for the Q&A session with the multi-functional (director, writer, actor), Taika Waititi. “Boy” was five years in the making – Taika wrote a first draft in 2005 and the second one in 2008. I think “Boy” is a reflection of Taika’s life in New Zealand in that era of Michael Jackson and Shõgun. Note: At the end of the AFI Fest, “Boy” won the Audience Award in the category of World Cinema. Excellent!
Film Facts: Director/Writer: Taika Waititi, Cinematographer: Adam Clark, Editors: Yana Gorskaya, Chris Plummer, Musician: The Phoenix Foundation, Producers: Georgina Allison, Cliff Curtis, Richard Fletcher, Ainsley Gardiner, Emanuel Michael, Merata Mita, Production Companies: New Zealand Film Commission, Unison Films, Whenua Films
Film Type: Comedy, Drama, Cast: James Rolleston (Boy), RickyLee Waipuka-Russell (Chardonnay), Te Aho Aho Eketone-Whitu (Rocky), Taika Waititi (Alamein – Boy’s and Rocky’s Father), Ei Kuro Albert (Chardonnay’s Friend), Maakariini Butler (Murray), Manaia Callaghan (Miria), Tainui Callaghan (Kiko), Ngapaki Emery (Mum), Rajvinder Eria (Tane), Darcy Ray Flavell-Hudson (Holden), Craig Hall (Mr. Langston), Pana Hema Taylor (Juju), Wairangi Herewini (Kingi’s Friend), Cohen Holloway (Chuppa), Waimihi Hotere (Teacher), Rachel House (Aunt Gracey), Cherilee Martin (Kelly), Length: 87’, Language: English, Country: New Zealand, Year: 2010
Film Trailer
New Zealand release date Thursday 25 March 2010
No United States release date set as of this post
Images:
Left: Te Aho Aho Eketone-Whitu as Rocky, James Rolleston as Boy, Taika Waititi as Alamein from the website thecia.com.au
Center: Graphic interpretation of “Boy” created by Adrean Darce Brent
Right: “Boy” poster from the website news.tangatawhenau.com
During the time Boy, Rocky, and several cousins are on their own while their grandmother attends a funeral miles away, Boy’s and Rocky’s father, Alamein appears one night in the company of two friends from jail looking for Alamein’s mother (the grandmother). Now the fun begins - from the serving of tea to the three men in the car, to the giving out of obviously stolen “presents”, to getting to know the father Boy barely remember and Rocky never did. Between Alamein’s stories, antics and playing as the Incredible Hulk and a Samurai Warrior, Boy and Rocky are entertained by their father before the real reason for Alamein’s homecoming come to the fore.
And what is that reason? To retrieve a stash of stolen money that Alamein buried in a field before going off to jail. He and his two friends are digging up the field and Boy joins in the game of “buried treasure” and bringing Alamein aromatic plants from a neighbor’s field. However Boy soon becomes disillusioned with Alamein when he doesn’t want Boy to call him Dad because “it’s weird”; the disastrous result of Boy’s finding the money, and the realization that Alamein won’t take Boy with him when he leaves. There is a confrontation and later a reconciliation between Boy, Rocky, and Alamein at the gravesite of Boy’s and Rocky’s mother, who had died giving birth to Rocky. In the end perhaps Boy realizes that Alamein is some version of the Samurai that Alamein wants to be and describes as “someone who lives outside the law, but they’re still cool”. Well this film is cool, funny, a joy to watch, and with a little growing up included.
Stayed for the Q&A session with the multi-functional (director, writer, actor), Taika Waititi. “Boy” was five years in the making – Taika wrote a first draft in 2005 and the second one in 2008. I think “Boy” is a reflection of Taika’s life in New Zealand in that era of Michael Jackson and Shõgun. Note: At the end of the AFI Fest, “Boy” won the Audience Award in the category of World Cinema. Excellent!
Film Facts: Director/Writer: Taika Waititi, Cinematographer: Adam Clark, Editors: Yana Gorskaya, Chris Plummer, Musician: The Phoenix Foundation, Producers: Georgina Allison, Cliff Curtis, Richard Fletcher, Ainsley Gardiner, Emanuel Michael, Merata Mita, Production Companies: New Zealand Film Commission, Unison Films, Whenua Films
Film Type: Comedy, Drama, Cast: James Rolleston (Boy), RickyLee Waipuka-Russell (Chardonnay), Te Aho Aho Eketone-Whitu (Rocky), Taika Waititi (Alamein – Boy’s and Rocky’s Father), Ei Kuro Albert (Chardonnay’s Friend), Maakariini Butler (Murray), Manaia Callaghan (Miria), Tainui Callaghan (Kiko), Ngapaki Emery (Mum), Rajvinder Eria (Tane), Darcy Ray Flavell-Hudson (Holden), Craig Hall (Mr. Langston), Pana Hema Taylor (Juju), Wairangi Herewini (Kingi’s Friend), Cohen Holloway (Chuppa), Waimihi Hotere (Teacher), Rachel House (Aunt Gracey), Cherilee Martin (Kelly), Length: 87’, Language: English, Country: New Zealand, Year: 2010
Film Trailer
New Zealand release date Thursday 25 March 2010
No United States release date set as of this post
Images:
Left: Te Aho Aho Eketone-Whitu as Rocky, James Rolleston as Boy, Taika Waititi as Alamein from the website thecia.com.au
Center: Graphic interpretation of “Boy” created by Adrean Darce Brent
Right: “Boy” poster from the website news.tangatawhenau.com
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