There's been a spate of relationship based films out of New Zealand over the last few years; unfortunately, this is not one of the better ones. The narrative seems to have no real drive or spark to it - a fading 70's singer (Rena Owen) returns to New Zealand after a small-time singer career in America, hooks up with an old friend (the dreaded Simon Prast), who happens to be in a relationship with an angsty, drunken, awful young man (Dean O'Gorman), who writes lyrics for Hawthorne's and Brunning's band. But big deal! Much of the acting in this film is pretty terrible, too (with the exception of Nancy Brunning - good as usual, and Sophia Hawthorne, who is plenty fun, gorgeous and energetic). Rena Owen is pretty average, which is something I've never seen before. But in all, the characters are pretty hard-to-believe, and there is the usual dose of corn and cheese which has become a bit too common in NZ cinema. And Prast's performance is DREADFUL!
I went to see this film with my partner - she disliked it a whole lot more than what I did, and used words like '...waste of money...could have given it to some other filmmaker...'. All of which, I think, is pretty fair.
I went to see this film with my partner - she disliked it a whole lot more than what I did, and used words like '...waste of money...could have given it to some other filmmaker...'. All of which, I think, is pretty fair.