A drama about a Maori family living in Auckland, New Zealand. Lee Tamahori tells the story of Beth Heke’s strong will to keep her family together during times of unemployment and abuse from her violent and alcoholic husband.
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Reviews
Thanks for the memories!
best movie i've ever seen.
An Exercise In Nonsense
A Masterpiece!
I have moved to New Zealand for nearly 3 years and my friend advised me to see this New Zealand made movie today. I finished watching this film with myself fully loaded with anger and fear. Why a woman could fall in love with a brutal and careless animal and leave her children suffer for their whole life? It is a personal choice and no judgment for choosing your sex partner but when it comes to having a family and having kids, it takes more than what you could imagine.I did not feel sorry for Beth because she was an adult and she was able to make decisions for herself. So whatever she got was whatever she deserved.But why her kids given no choice, no power, nowhere to hide and nobody to rely had to suffer all that pain. It is not fair for those adorable kids if their parents cannot provide them basic things for living like food, clean house, education, safety......., which i personally take it as a big crime.That pain and scar just follow the kids whole life and they did not do anything wrong.
One of the most powerful movies i have ever seen, and like what another user wrote on here its a movie that will stick with you long after you watch it, the story the acting the camera work are first class, if this movie was a Hollywood type big budget movie it would in my opinion win an Oscar or at least be nominated, it is that good and that's a pretty big statement to make but once you watch this movie you will somewhat agree with me, iv never watched a movie that has played with so many of my emotions and i'm a grown bloke that doesn't get emotional very often, and believe me i got choked a few times in this movie, like it says on the front cover its explosive but in a very good way, the acting is very believable and what a performance from temuera morrison, if you watch this movie you have to see the follow up movie of (WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED),these two movie's combined are definitely in my top ten movie dramas. "A MUST SEE MOVIE" 10/10
This movie was an epic experience. I have never experienced a movie with such insight to Maori culture in the 90's. Temeura Morrison's performance was spot on and who could forget Rena Owen. The storyline was superb and kept the audience engaged every second of the movie. One drawback is the outcome was rather predictable but still I was engaged. The insight to Maori culture was phenomenal however. Being a person of Poly decent I was drawn into the movie through cultural aspects and i enjoyed every minute of it. Nothing compares in my book. Great job to the director and it will be a classic in my eyes. All in all, great movie experience.
What an intense film! The violence that is contained in this project is not gratuitous, rather it is visceral and real to life. I noted that song, language, story and other aspects of culture are ways of combating ongoing colonization of the soul. The character arcs are truly remarkable, and I like the fact the even the villainous characters have some sympathetic traits to them. The sound track is amazing, a Maori-Reggae hybrid that truly rocks. The ending wraps things up in a hopeful message that overcomes tragedies. This film is so specific to the Maori plight post-colonization that it is a universally relevant film.Go and see for yourself!