Pork Pie - directed by Matt Murphy
The original film that this one is based on was entitled "Goodbye Pork Pie" and was one of the key moments in the development of the New Zealand film industry.
It was a genuine hit but possibly more importantly it showed that big screen popular entertainment could be made here.
It was light hearted, quirky and contained the sort of action that local moviegoers were used to seeing only in international movies.
Along with "Sleeping Dogs", "Utu", "Smash Palace" and "Vigil" it announced that Kiwi's could make world class films.
Matt Murphy directs this remake.
He is the son of the originals director Geoff and was on the crew of his Father's landmark film.
The story here follows the original pretty closely.
A young man in a stolen yellow mini picks up a passenger and they head from Auckland to Invercargill.
To all intents and purposes this is the length of the country.
Luke the driver (Rolleston) doesn't have any particular goal in mind but his passenger Jon (O'Gorman) does.
Jon wants to get to Invercargill to see his former fiance - a woman he left at the altar.
Jon is a failed writer, Luke has some criminal history.
They are joined by Keira (Cummings) who is a vegan animal rights activist who still has a fondness for hokey pokey ice-cream.
Effectively that is the plot but really that is all that is required here.
In spite of the grim toned hinted at in the trailer the intent here is goofy, light hearted fun just like the original film.
Pretty much that is what we get too.
The vegan animals right thing is not really made into too big a deal nor is Luke's criminal past.
The focus is largely on the heartbroken Jon and his desire to see Susie (Prebble) again.
The script makes Jon less sympathetic than perhaps is ideal.
He has treated Susie poorly, he has failed to deliver the novel he was assigned to write and dumps all over his brother and his wife's (reluctant) hospitality.
Jon is not a particularly likeable character.
Keira comes off a little better but her desire to further her animals rights activism is frequently at the expense of the duo she has basically leeched onto her.
When the possibility of a sexual encounter arises between she and Luke she tells him that she has only two rules - they only do it once and there must be no feelings.
Nothing that she has done up until then other than look attractive seems enough for Luke to tolerate this sort of nightmare!
Luke comes off a little better but mainly because his character is severely badly served by the script.
There is one scene in which he tells Jon some of his story but it doesn't really explain who he is, what he wants or what he is doing.
He stole the Mini to escape from some thugs he owes money to but once he has escaped why keep driving a stolen car that is being looked for?
Also this entire backstory is discarded as relevant as soon as it is revealed.
Apparently underworld types will leave you alone once a nationwide manhunt draws attention to your whereabouts.
The script is most certainly the weakest part of this remake.
Some of the dialogue is cringeworthy and many of the laughs fall well short.
What does work is the action scenes.
Murphy can stage a car chase for sure and good job too as they account for a lot of the screen time.
Aided by some typically stunning New Zealand scenery the aerial shots, static angles and the car to car shots are very effective.
The ineptitude of the pursuing cops is hardly believable but then this is all tongue in cheek stuff - "The French Connection" or "Bullitt" it is not!
That goofiness is what carries it over the line for me.
I was never too concerned about any of the characters and just sat back and enjoyed watching some familiar backdrops (I grew up in Wellington and live in Auckland so much of what was on screen is very well known to me)
Apart from the local flavour the pacing is solid and even though I started off cringing at the dialogue and some aspects of the lead trio's performances they did grow on me.
And once again Rima Te Waiata steals every scene that she is given.
She has had a hell of a run lately with "Housebound", "The Hunt for the Wilderpeople" and now this.
Antonia Prebble also does very well in a thankless role. She almost made me believe that a two time loser like Jon deserved a second chance.
I doubt that "Pork Pie" will do anywhere near as well overseas as it does here but then for the budget it doesn't need to.
At least 75% of its appeal will be to locals.
There are many jokes and references that will be baffling to American audiences in particular.
Do people outside of New Zealand know what Hokey Pokey ice-cream is for instance?
Also some of the dialogue will probably be lost in the Kiwi accents that in all honesty gave me some trouble and I live here!
Likewise the cameos will only resonate with New Zealand viewers - overseas people are unlikely to know who Tim Shadbolt, Eric Young, Paul Henry and Simon Dallow are.
I also question the frequency of the profanity.
The number of f-bombs in this film will automatically make it R-rated should the MPAA ever be asked to look at it (a stupid rule for sure but that is the reality)
Still- there is enough fun to be had here and the action is well enough shot that I enjoyed "Pork Pie".
The local soundtrack is well used too with everything from Dave Dobbyn to Lorde thrown in.
"Pork Pie" is well worth a look but the caveat may be that it really is best suited to local viewers.
RATING: 72 / 100
CONCLUSION: Give me Geoff Murphy's original any day but regardless- this doesn't crap on the legacy of the older film. It has some good action and plenty of fun. A solid remake.
Starring: Dean O'Gorman, James Rolleston, Ashleigh Cummings, Antonia Prebble, Rima Te Wiata, Matt Whelan, Siobhan Marshall, Ben Mitchell, Geraldine Brophy, Scott Wills, Thomas Sainsbury, Milo Cawthorne, Josh Thomson, Elliot Travers, Karl Burnett, Mike Holland, Tim Shadbolt, Eric Young, Paul Henry
Screenplay: Matt Murphy
Music Score by: N/A
Cinematography: Crighton Bone
Edited by: Jonathan Woodford-Robinson
Running Time: 105 minutes
Language: English
Rated: M - Frequent profanity, mild violence and sex scenes and drug use
Running Time: 105 minutes
Language: English
Rated: M - Frequent profanity, mild violence and sex scenes and drug use
It was a genuine hit but possibly more importantly it showed that big screen popular entertainment could be made here.
It was light hearted, quirky and contained the sort of action that local moviegoers were used to seeing only in international movies.
Along with "Sleeping Dogs", "Utu", "Smash Palace" and "Vigil" it announced that Kiwi's could make world class films.
Matt Murphy directs this remake.
He is the son of the originals director Geoff and was on the crew of his Father's landmark film.
The story here follows the original pretty closely.
A young man in a stolen yellow mini picks up a passenger and they head from Auckland to Invercargill.
To all intents and purposes this is the length of the country.
Luke the driver (Rolleston) doesn't have any particular goal in mind but his passenger Jon (O'Gorman) does.
Jon wants to get to Invercargill to see his former fiance - a woman he left at the altar.
Jon is a failed writer, Luke has some criminal history.
They are joined by Keira (Cummings) who is a vegan animal rights activist who still has a fondness for hokey pokey ice-cream.
Effectively that is the plot but really that is all that is required here.
In spite of the grim toned hinted at in the trailer the intent here is goofy, light hearted fun just like the original film.
 |
| James Rolleston as Luke and Dean O'Gorman as Jon along with the third lead the yellow Mini Cooper |
The vegan animals right thing is not really made into too big a deal nor is Luke's criminal past.
The focus is largely on the heartbroken Jon and his desire to see Susie (Prebble) again.
The script makes Jon less sympathetic than perhaps is ideal.
He has treated Susie poorly, he has failed to deliver the novel he was assigned to write and dumps all over his brother and his wife's (reluctant) hospitality.
Jon is not a particularly likeable character.
Keira comes off a little better but her desire to further her animals rights activism is frequently at the expense of the duo she has basically leeched onto her.
When the possibility of a sexual encounter arises between she and Luke she tells him that she has only two rules - they only do it once and there must be no feelings.
Nothing that she has done up until then other than look attractive seems enough for Luke to tolerate this sort of nightmare!
Luke comes off a little better but mainly because his character is severely badly served by the script.
There is one scene in which he tells Jon some of his story but it doesn't really explain who he is, what he wants or what he is doing.
He stole the Mini to escape from some thugs he owes money to but once he has escaped why keep driving a stolen car that is being looked for?
Also this entire backstory is discarded as relevant as soon as it is revealed.
Apparently underworld types will leave you alone once a nationwide manhunt draws attention to your whereabouts.
 |
| Australian actress Ashleigh Cummings as Keira and far right Antonia Prebble as Susie |
Some of the dialogue is cringeworthy and many of the laughs fall well short.
What does work is the action scenes.
Murphy can stage a car chase for sure and good job too as they account for a lot of the screen time.
Aided by some typically stunning New Zealand scenery the aerial shots, static angles and the car to car shots are very effective.
The ineptitude of the pursuing cops is hardly believable but then this is all tongue in cheek stuff - "The French Connection" or "Bullitt" it is not!
That goofiness is what carries it over the line for me.
I was never too concerned about any of the characters and just sat back and enjoyed watching some familiar backdrops (I grew up in Wellington and live in Auckland so much of what was on screen is very well known to me)
Apart from the local flavour the pacing is solid and even though I started off cringing at the dialogue and some aspects of the lead trio's performances they did grow on me.
And once again Rima Te Waiata steals every scene that she is given.
She has had a hell of a run lately with "Housebound", "The Hunt for the Wilderpeople" and now this.
Antonia Prebble also does very well in a thankless role. She almost made me believe that a two time loser like Jon deserved a second chance.
 |
| There are a host of zany supporting character along the way |
At least 75% of its appeal will be to locals.
There are many jokes and references that will be baffling to American audiences in particular.
Do people outside of New Zealand know what Hokey Pokey ice-cream is for instance?
Also some of the dialogue will probably be lost in the Kiwi accents that in all honesty gave me some trouble and I live here!
Likewise the cameos will only resonate with New Zealand viewers - overseas people are unlikely to know who Tim Shadbolt, Eric Young, Paul Henry and Simon Dallow are.
I also question the frequency of the profanity.
The number of f-bombs in this film will automatically make it R-rated should the MPAA ever be asked to look at it (a stupid rule for sure but that is the reality)
Still- there is enough fun to be had here and the action is well enough shot that I enjoyed "Pork Pie".
The local soundtrack is well used too with everything from Dave Dobbyn to Lorde thrown in.
"Pork Pie" is well worth a look but the caveat may be that it really is best suited to local viewers.
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