Boy (2010)

From Academy Award nominated director Taika Waititi, director of Eagle Vs Shark and What We Do In The Shadows. Boy is the hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age tale about heroes, magic and Michael Jackson.

Set firmly in the 1980s, the film is narrated by an extremely-likeable 11-year old known as Boy (James Rolleston). When his father, Alamein (Taika Waititi), sweeps back into town, towing a couple of members of his motorcycle gang, Boy is thrilled, certain his dad is back just for him.

In fact, Alamein has returned to find the loot he buried somewhere near the family home. Unfortunately, he can’t remember exactly where. The film generates much of its tension around the uncertainty of the relationship between Boy and Alamein. Boy worships his father, but rather than this misguided hero-worship exploding in a single act, Boy’s eyes are opened to his real father little by little and through this discovery, he grows up.

With animation and colourful fantasy sequences used to show Boy’s exuberant, childish imagination, the film’s visual style is fun and quirky. The film doesn’t shy away from showing the darker side of this seemingly idyllic place, but it doesn’t dwell on the darkness because Boy doesn’t either.