Boy
Synopsis: During summer break in 1984, eleven-year-old Michael Jackson fanatic “Boy” (James Rolleston) has the adventure of his life. With his mother dead and father AWoL, Boy becomes the head of a household full of kids when his Nana leaves town for a funeral. It starts as just another few weeks of fruitless pining for classmate beauty Chardonnay (RickyLee Waipuka-Russell), but then his Dad (writer-director Taika Waititi, Eagle vs. Shark) rolls up in a vintage car with his Crazy Horses gang, and Boy’s life turns upside down. There are treasure hunts, fistfights, and falling-outs, as Boy grapples to learn why his Dad left the family so long ago.
Waititi adopts a fanciful deadpan tone that’s part Wes Anderson and part Flight of the Conchords (for which Waititi directed), complete with child-like animations and hilarious re-enactments of Michael Jackson music videos. It’s one of the most creative comedies you’ll see all year.
Genre
Rated
Language
Run Time
Starring
Te Aho Eketone-Whitu (Rocky)
Taika Waititi (Alamein)
Moerangi Tihore (Dynasty)
Cherilee Martin (Kelly)
Ricky Lee Waipuka-Russell (Chardonnay)
Haze Reweti (Dallas)
Maakariini Butler (Murray)
Rajvinder Eria (Tane)
Manihera Rangiuaia (Kingi)
Darcy Ray Flavell-Hudson (Holden)
Directed by
Written by
Produced by
Ainsley Gardiner
Emanuel Michael
Edited by
Composer
Samuel Scott
Conrad Wedde
Production Designer
Cinematographer
Awards
Berlin International Film Festival - Germany - 2010
Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk Grand Prix for Best Feature Film (Taika Waititi)
AFI Fest - USA - 2010
Audience Award for Best International Feature Film (Taika Waititi)
Sydney Film Festival - Australia - 2010
Audience Award for Best Feature Film (Taika Waititi)
Melbourne International Film Festival - Australia - 2010
Most Popular Feature Film (Taika Waititi)
Nominations
Sundance Film Festival - USA - 2010
Grand Jury Prize World Cinema - Dramatic
Quotes
It's a disarmingly lovely, big-hearted film, and hilarious in places. - Cath Clarke, Guardian
A film like this would have little chance without the right casting, and James Rolleston is so right as Boy, it's difficult to imagine anyone else. - Roger Ebert , Chicago Sun-Times
