Boy is a 2010 comedy-drama film which is the highest grossing New Zealand film of all time!
Plot
In 1984, Waihau Bay, New Zealand, we meet Boy (played by James Rolleston). Boy is an 11-year-old fan of Michael Jackson who lives on a rural property with his gran, a goat, his younger brother, and many young cousins. Gran soon leaves Boy alone for a week, where he must look after his family whilst juggling school. However, soon Boy’s jail-bird father Alameinn (played by Taika Waititi ) appears with some of his friends in tow who stay at the house whilst they search for long buried treasure, where whackiness ensues.
Review
Even as a cynic, I could not help but smile even before the title of the movie appears.
The environment of Waihau Bay and its inhabitants are wonderful. A beautiful environment and community on the other side of the world that still cannot hide from the influence of 80’s America pop culture.
Even though Boy’s background and situation is quite grim, it is amazing how the movie handles this subject matter in such a tasteful and sweetly comedic way. The balance between comedy and grim reality is balanced perfectly, so that the audience is aware of Boy’s situation, while at the same time are protected from it through the characters’ innocence and naive perspectives of their own lives.
The young cast are brilliant in that they embody their characters completely. This may be due to the fact that they are not-well-known actors, however, Rocky truly conveys a sensitive soul, Boy’s friends are honestly comedic and Boy himself does a fantastic job in successfully treading a fine line between innocent naivety and arrogant adolescence.
The use of cartoon imagery and surreal dream sequences convey the tool of dream escapism, from both the point of view of Boy and Rocky. Such dreams, though childish, run parallel with Boy’s father and friends who ‘play’ as a gang, give each other nick-names and have dreams of grandeur of their own.
Boy’s father Alameinn is played by the movie’s writer and director, Taika Waititi, who gives a wonderful performance. Extremely sweetly comedic, he is as childish and naive if not more so, then Boy and his young friends and family. A man caught in a state of arrested development, Waititi plays an odious character that is very easy to emphasise and laugh at; this is no mean fete. It is refreshing that Waititi does not abuse his role as the film’s writer and director and plays a character who does not overshadow the young lead but instead, balances and assists him, serving as the comedy side-kick or straight man when the scene demands it. With such strong support, it is Boy who is undoubtedly the star of the show and Rolleston holds it on his young shoulders extremely well.
This is a far more successful movie than Waititi’s earlier effort, Eagle vs Shark, which aimed to deliver similar quaint, off-beat humour whilst covering similarly grim circumstances with the same cross media techniques. However, Eagle vs Shark’s characters, especially Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Concords fame, whilst playing similarly immature and selfish characters, were not likeable in the slightest and therefore did not gain empathy from their audience. It seems that Waititi has learned a lesson or two from this experience and has made noticeable and pleasing improvements with Boy . Perhaps such characteristics are more easily digestible when represented from young characters, especially ones who pull their adult counterparts into line.
Rating
In some places it seems that the jokes and visual gags try a little too hard, and the ending is quite abrupt. These are very minor criticisms though. A sweet movie that covers some very grim situations, this movie will have you smiling throughout. Now if I can just find an 80’s Tron tank-top like Boy wears in the movie and my life will be complete.
3 EGGS OUT OF 5
Check out the film at IMDB, see what Margaret and David have to see, and check out the trailer.
Luke McWilliams September 2010