Boy

10 September 2018

Boy 2010

• Director: Taika Waititi
• Based on a novel: no
• Cast: James Rolleston, Taika Waititi, Rachel House
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Taika Waititi – What We Do in the Shadows, Flight of the Conchords, Eagle vs Shark
• Rachel House – Eagle vs Shark, Whale Rider
• Why? Taika Waititi
• Seen: 2 September 2018      

       If you haven’t seen The Flight of the Conchords, Eagle vs Shark or What We Do in the Shadows you might expect a normal movie. I have, and I don’t.

       It’s 1984 and the Maori boy Boy idolises Michael Jackson. He has a very lively imagination. His dad is in prison, but Boy tells all kinds of stories about what a hero his dad is. His little brother Rocky does magic, or thinks he does. Their mother is dead.

       Then their dad shows up with two mates.

       The dad is more of a kid than they are. Boy adores him. Rocky is more sceptical.

       It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s painful to watch. Even losers have dreams, but as Bruce Springsteen says, ‘Is a dream a lie if it don’t come true or is it something worse?’

       When adults can’t stop being kids then the kids need to be adults. But sometimes, if they’re lucky, they can meet in the middle and help each other out.

5 * of 5 (Hal: 4)