Movie Review - BOY

Boy is a wonderful trip back to the 80's, set in Waihau Bay, New Zealand, full of complex and wonderful characters. Writer/Director/Star of the film Taika Waititi opens the film with a hilarious introduction to who Boy is (played by the magnificent James Rolleston) and his facination with the King of Pop: Michael Jackson. Throughout the film homage is paid to the King of Pop in just the right amount, always bringing a laugh out from the audience.
As soon as the intro is over the movie sucks you in as this poor Maori kid reveals his life to you and the people around him. Firstly the school and his school mates are brought into focus revealing a shy but gutsy kid, who does indeed love MJ and his dance moves. From there you are taken to the house he lives in with his brother Rocky and 4 or so other 'cousins' with Boy looking after them all and cooking for them while their Nan is away. After establishing the maturity, complexity and cuteness of Boy, the film takes a new turn as a car slowly drives down the driveway of his house to reveal his father is back from prison.
Shogun (or Boy's Dad) is a character unlike any I have seen on a screen before. He is completely convincing as a caring but hopeless father, however, as time goes on reveals himself as more a crazy drug addicted mess with grand dreams and no potential. Boy learns this lesson at the same time you do as a viewer, and that is the key to this film. At no time do you fall out of the amazing world that Boy lives in and the realisation of who Boy is and who his father is comes to you at the same time it does to Boy. The pacing is brilliant, with the smattering of characters always keeping you smiling, laughing or on the odd occasion crying out in shock. One of the most powerful scenes I have ever seen also crops up later in the film where Boy confronts his Dad and unleashes all of his built up rage, made ever more poignant by the light hearted tone from the beginning of the film and beautifully matching the character arc of their father Almein. Or Shogun as he prefers to be called.
In summary the film has everything. A surprising amount of laughs, morality and emotion. Many movies, and especially Australian movies, try to find this balance of shock and awe but none I have seen recently do it as well as Boy does. Once again New Zealand has proven itself the new master of movies and I give this film a solid 5 stars recommending it to everyone in the world!