Once Were Warriors
3.5/4
Starring: Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison, Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell, Julian Arahanga, Taungaroa Emile
Rated R for Pervasive Language and Strong Depiction of Domestic Abuse including Sexual Violence and Substance Abuse
"Once Were Warriors" is one of those movies that hits you like a freight train and keeps running you over. This is an incredibly tough movie to watch, but it pulls no punches. One has to admire director Lee Tamahori's guts for not flinching when it comes to depicting the horrors of domestic violence.
On the surface, the Heke family seems to be normal and happy. But take one peek beneath the "Kodak moment," and you'll find that they are anything but. The father, Jake (Morrison), is a desperate alcoholic and prone to extreme violence against anyone unfortunate enough to cross him. His wife, Beth (Owen), takes the brunt of it, although by no means is she the only victim. Her oldest son, Nig (Arahanga) has joined a gang, her daughter Grace (Kerr-Bell) has sought refuge living with a friend in a burned out car, and younger son Boogie (Emile) is constantly in trouble with the law. But when a brutal, drunken beating leaves Beth unable to attend a court hearing for Boogie, she's had enough. She puts her foot down, and the results are not pretty.
Probably the most noticeable reason why this movie is so powerful is that the performances by the two leads are nothing short of astounding. Temura Morrison and Rena Owen aren't merely good, they're superb. You've never seen acting like this.
Rena Owen garnered a number of awards for her fearless portrayal as a woman who finds the strength to stand up to her husband, and rightly so. Owen is nothing short of miraculous, playing Beth as a tough yet loving mother. She loves her husband dearly, but his abuse is no longer something that she can accept. As Jake, Temuera Morrison is brilliant as a man held hostage by his temper and his addiction. Although he appears to be a brutal, drunken thug, there is a kernal of humanity that is desperate to regain control of himself. The kids are solid, but this is really Own and Morrison's show.
Ironically, the only one who got a career boost after this movie was director Lee Tamahori, although for the wrong reasons. Tamahori has since become a director of mediocre to awful action movies. Examples of his work are "The Edge," an unbelievably lame adventure movie, and "Die Another Day," which caused the James Bond franchise to go into turnaround until it was rebooted four years later. One wonders why he doesn't take the hint and go back to making gritty dramas like this. Probably because the money is too good to turn down.
Nevertheless, the man's work here is a revelation. Tamahori never flinches, even when it comes to the most disturbing scenes. He doesn't sugarcoat anything and he is never coy. You have to admire a director who is willing (and able) to take his audience this far into a story that is this punishing. He also has a gift for directing actors, although considering his later films, my money is that most of the credit must go to his actors.
While the film is extraordinarily successful in explori the issues of domestic violence and alcoholism, its attempts to put it into a wider context fall short. Tamahori attempts to address the hardships Maoris face in modern day society, but they are unsuccessfully presented, and to someone who isn't looking for them, easily missed.
Whatever flaws the film may have, they are certainly not enough to make me think twice about recommending the film. On the contrary, I've told more people to see this movie than any other. It tells a poweful story with two performances that are the stuff of legends. You don't see movies that have this kind of an impact on a viewer.
Starring: Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison, Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell, Julian Arahanga, Taungaroa Emile
Rated R for Pervasive Language and Strong Depiction of Domestic Abuse including Sexual Violence and Substance Abuse
"Once Were Warriors" is one of those movies that hits you like a freight train and keeps running you over. This is an incredibly tough movie to watch, but it pulls no punches. One has to admire director Lee Tamahori's guts for not flinching when it comes to depicting the horrors of domestic violence.
On the surface, the Heke family seems to be normal and happy. But take one peek beneath the "Kodak moment," and you'll find that they are anything but. The father, Jake (Morrison), is a desperate alcoholic and prone to extreme violence against anyone unfortunate enough to cross him. His wife, Beth (Owen), takes the brunt of it, although by no means is she the only victim. Her oldest son, Nig (Arahanga) has joined a gang, her daughter Grace (Kerr-Bell) has sought refuge living with a friend in a burned out car, and younger son Boogie (Emile) is constantly in trouble with the law. But when a brutal, drunken beating leaves Beth unable to attend a court hearing for Boogie, she's had enough. She puts her foot down, and the results are not pretty.
Probably the most noticeable reason why this movie is so powerful is that the performances by the two leads are nothing short of astounding. Temura Morrison and Rena Owen aren't merely good, they're superb. You've never seen acting like this.
Rena Owen garnered a number of awards for her fearless portrayal as a woman who finds the strength to stand up to her husband, and rightly so. Owen is nothing short of miraculous, playing Beth as a tough yet loving mother. She loves her husband dearly, but his abuse is no longer something that she can accept. As Jake, Temuera Morrison is brilliant as a man held hostage by his temper and his addiction. Although he appears to be a brutal, drunken thug, there is a kernal of humanity that is desperate to regain control of himself. The kids are solid, but this is really Own and Morrison's show.
Ironically, the only one who got a career boost after this movie was director Lee Tamahori, although for the wrong reasons. Tamahori has since become a director of mediocre to awful action movies. Examples of his work are "The Edge," an unbelievably lame adventure movie, and "Die Another Day," which caused the James Bond franchise to go into turnaround until it was rebooted four years later. One wonders why he doesn't take the hint and go back to making gritty dramas like this. Probably because the money is too good to turn down.
Nevertheless, the man's work here is a revelation. Tamahori never flinches, even when it comes to the most disturbing scenes. He doesn't sugarcoat anything and he is never coy. You have to admire a director who is willing (and able) to take his audience this far into a story that is this punishing. He also has a gift for directing actors, although considering his later films, my money is that most of the credit must go to his actors.
While the film is extraordinarily successful in explori the issues of domestic violence and alcoholism, its attempts to put it into a wider context fall short. Tamahori attempts to address the hardships Maoris face in modern day society, but they are unsuccessfully presented, and to someone who isn't looking for them, easily missed.
Whatever flaws the film may have, they are certainly not enough to make me think twice about recommending the film. On the contrary, I've told more people to see this movie than any other. It tells a poweful story with two performances that are the stuff of legends. You don't see movies that have this kind of an impact on a viewer.
Comments
Post a Comment