14 days to go: Boy (March, 25)

"I'm in the mood for a happy movie!", Joe told me on this day. 

At that moment, we were trying to decide about a film to see together - it is not an easy task, because we talk about movies so much, that when we have the chance to share the experience we don't take it lightly (at least, I don't). 

"I'm always game for a happy film," was my animated answer. 

If only we knew what was ahead of us.

Boy is the second Taika Waititi adventure on features. We're all in love with him here because of Hunt for Wilderpeople - I'm even saving What we do in the Shadows to bring me happiness in a boring day. So, naturally, giving his record of treading difficult matters in a hysterically funny way, we was expecting to be laugh a lot, while having our hearts broken. 

The thing is, this movie is too close to the heart. Too true, too honest, incredibly spot on. I became increasingly depressed at each scene. I felt like I was drowning in myself, without a way out. There are comedy, yes. Some light scenes, endearing characters. However, any of that could take me out from my misery. I'm not complaining, though. Movies like that, and from a culture we barely are aware of, is of great importance. and Waittit is a master in what he does. 

That sort of child's abuse is not criminal - yet. Parents mistreat their offspring constantly, daily, by being selfish, disinterested, behaving as a spoiled child instead of taking care of their own. It is not easy to have kids, so  people, just don't. Simple like that. I'm really extreme on this matter. You're human, your kids are too - please, don't treat them as a convenient toy, even if the pain you feel is too big for this world. 

As it happened in Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the kids here are something from other world. Rocky we want to take to home in every scene he is on - he is so quiet and smart, so observant of his surroundings, it is impossible not to fell in love with him. And Boy is every kid who is in the last phases of loving his parents above all the things, just getting to the place where they realize the things are a bit more complicated than their unconditional love and their attempts to fix everything that it's wrong around them, in a crusade that is able to ruin a life.. So overwhelmingly sad and true.

Boy. Directed and written by Taika Waititi. Cast: James Rolleston, Te Aho
Eketone-Whitu, Taika Waititi. New Zealand, 2010, Dolby Digital, Color/
Black and White, 87 min.

PS: Hunt for the Wilderpeople came to stay in our lives for good. Yesterday I was so blues, so ugh, the only way to get out of that mood was to reach for the Rick Baker's birthday song, one created on the time of shooting as a way to escape the abusive fees of the happy birthday song. Joe and Rudd were complaining that, hours after I sent the video bellow to them, the song was still in their heads, while they were getting ready to give their classes. Sorry (not really), guys!