Takeaways on Cutaways
Ditch the lube and get to the point in the raw, honest, cheeky dramedy written and directed by Mark Schwab.
New Zealand, Boy
Slip on your favorite dungarees and spend the day on the east coast of New Zealand before the 90s.
Feeling a bit nostalgic for the 80s and peckish for a change in scenery? Slip on your favorite dungarees, lace up your best tennis shoes and spend the day on the east coast of New Zealand before the 90s.
The 2010 film Boy, directed by Taika Waititi (director of Hunt for the Wilderpeople, 2016) follows a young preteen, called Boy, who lives in New Zealand and absolutely adores Michael Jackson. Boy’s father returns from prison, out of the blue, in search of a bag of money he buried years prior, when Boy’s grandmother happens to leave for a quick trip. Set in the 80’s, Boy is faced with the reality of his absent father who isn’t all he imagined him to be.
Waititi takes the viewer on a heartfelt adventure in this coming-of-age dramedy. Boy imitates Michael Jackson in his free time, while his little brother practices his superpowers. Boy does his best to not get in trouble but some peers from his class push him to his limits. When his dad appears he doesn’t set the best example of a father or a noble man, asking Boy to not call him “dad”. With all the voices speaking into his life, Boy must decide who he’s going to listen to and who he’s going to be.
Waititi, a Māori director and screenwriter, shows his talents for honest story telling, making you laugh after making you cry, and making you cry from laughing too hard. Not falling into the trap of whitewashing his own work for the chance to have his film made, Waititi directs a diverse story and diverse cast keeping the entire film authentic and full of color. With a complete cast of Pacific Islanders indigenous to New Zealand and other islands, there is no shortage of Native talent.
Outside of social media, Animal Planet documentaries, and Lord of the Rings extended edition behind the scenes footage, I had no other representation of what New Zealand was like or much of its culture. Though this story isn’t a modern depiction of New Zealand, it does satiate a curiosity I’ve always had about the beautiful land and its people. I absolutely recommend taking the time to enjoy this film. If you’re looking for a fun and youthful story, Boy is a great choice for a lazy evening in the heat.
