We're Here to Help (2007) User Reviews

Easy to forget it's real life

[selffamily · 8/10 · 22 October 2009]

This was a well made film, good acting, well edited, and if it did take a dive at the box office, then more fool the general public. It's a story that deserves to be told, and should be - perhaps it should be shown at high schools, only I suppose kids wouldn't have the concentration span. It is a bit wearying and hard going at times - but you do get the feeling of the long and arduous battle that Henderson went through to survive. The stamina of the man! I'm not a Hyde fan but if he did the job, then good for him. Loved the guy playing him, he had obviously studied his mannerisms. My only wish was that we could have taken the story to the part where he bought the building. It's a hard won battle, and easy to forget that this did happen, (or near as dammit)and that we should not let faceless bureaucrats bully us.

We must all stand up to these bloody bureaucrats

[oyvay · 8/10 · 30 January 2008]

Probably every adult here in New Zealand would have known of the case around which this film was made, but that was ten years ago. It was refreshing to re-visit this story and the way it was portrayed on the screen was flawless....fine direction and performances all around.

But for me, the importance of this story is the reforms of the bureaucracy which have taken place since the early 90s. Complaint procedures are readily accessible and well resourced. The wings of these maniacal managers have been clipped and New Zealand is a better place because of Dave Henderson and Rodney Hide.

Go see it....doesn't matter where you live. I suspect these issues are rather universal. We've heard that 'the price of liberty is eternal vigilance', this film is about some vigilant people who stood up to the tyranny of the managers...the world would be a better place of more people followed th lead of those portrayed in 'We're Here to Help'