I wanted to like this film - as others have said - the cinematography is beautiful. But isn't that the very least to be expected of a New Zealand film? Apart from that - have to say I was a bit disappointed.
For me it felt more like a Kiwi version of Southern American Gothic a la Tennessee Williams (a dysfunctional family with incest and jealousy born of disinheritance) first. While on the other hand the gay love story felt very much like an add on, or an after thought.
This was partly because the Māori cowboy, the Billy Williams character, who was supposedly the main protagonist - had little to say - mainly "yes sir, no sir " .You could put this down to the scriptwriter. - But also the actor (Kieran Foster) was not able to convey much through non verbal facial expression and body language. (It can be done - think Trevante Rhodes as the adult Chiron in Moonlight). So he functioned mainly as eye candy - yup he did that very well!
For large stretches of the film Billy Williams and his lover don't figure - and there is so little development of their relationship that it doesn't feel that real, or that important.
The script writing was quite variable from spot on laconic Kiwi exchanges - to dialogue that you'd expect from a soap opera - a la Days of our lives. (To be brutally honest)
For me the best part was was Danny Birch played by Peter Hanson - he was a great villain and very convincing. And provided some comic relief. Of which there wasn't that much - the tone was pretty earnest throughout. The biggest laugh for me was the revelation in the casket scene - and it wasn't supposed to be funny!
My 2 bits anyhow.
For me it felt more like a Kiwi version of Southern American Gothic a la Tennessee Williams (a dysfunctional family with incest and jealousy born of disinheritance) first. While on the other hand the gay love story felt very much like an add on, or an after thought.
This was partly because the Māori cowboy, the Billy Williams character, who was supposedly the main protagonist - had little to say - mainly "yes sir, no sir " .You could put this down to the scriptwriter. - But also the actor (Kieran Foster) was not able to convey much through non verbal facial expression and body language. (It can be done - think Trevante Rhodes as the adult Chiron in Moonlight). So he functioned mainly as eye candy - yup he did that very well!
For large stretches of the film Billy Williams and his lover don't figure - and there is so little development of their relationship that it doesn't feel that real, or that important.
The script writing was quite variable from spot on laconic Kiwi exchanges - to dialogue that you'd expect from a soap opera - a la Days of our lives. (To be brutally honest)
For me the best part was was Danny Birch played by Peter Hanson - he was a great villain and very convincing. And provided some comic relief. Of which there wasn't that much - the tone was pretty earnest throughout. The biggest laugh for me was the revelation in the casket scene - and it wasn't supposed to be funny!
My 2 bits anyhow.