Very Cool!!!

one of my absolute favorites!

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

New Zealand screenwriter and director Brad McGann's feature film debut which he wrote, is based on New Zealand author Maurice Gee's novel from 1972, was shot on location in Henderson, Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand and is a New Zealand-UK co-production which was produced by producers Trevor Haysom and Dixie Linder. It tells the story about war journalist and photographer Paul Prier who returns to his hometown in New Zealand in order to attend his father's funeral. After seventeen years of silence Paul is reunited with his brother Andrew, a father, farmer and husband with a wife named Penny who resembles their mother and his first love Jackie, a butcher who is in a bad relationship. Paul has planned to leave after the funeral, but his brother wants him to stay and help him with the sale of some of their father's properties. While reconsidering his decision, Paul discovers a sixteen-year-old girl named Celia in his father's den and meets his former principal who offers him a job as an English teacher at the local high school. Paul decides to stay in his hometown and when he starts his new job, he learns that Celia is one of his students. Finely and engagingly directed Brad McGann, this profoundly gripping and compassionately narrated independent film is an in-depth study of character about a man who is struggling to confront and acknowledge a past that has followed him ever since he left the town where he grew up. While examining fundamental themes, this character-driven and internal psychological drama which contains some fine naturalistic milieu depictions, draws a multifaceted portrayal of family relations and has a poignant atmosphere which is emphasized by English-born New Zealand cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh's stellar cinematography and the captivating score by British composer Simon Boswell.This memorable fictional tale which is notable for it's fine production design by production designer Jennifer Kernke and editing by film editor Chris Plummer is impelled and reinforced by it's fragmented narrative structure and the heartfelt and involving acting performances by English actor Matthew Macfadyen, English-born New Zealand actress Emily Barclay in her second feature film role and the fine supporting acting performances by Australian actress Miranda Otto and actor Colin Moy. An afflicting and compassionate mystery which gained, among numerous other awards, the FIPRESCI Prize at the 29th Toronto International Film Festival in 2004, the Special Jury Prize Brad McGann (1964-2007) at the 31st Seattle International Film Festival in 2005 and the British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer Emily Barclay at the 8th British Independent Film Awards in 2005.

The Kiwis are better at fantasy than real life...After a promising start this rather enervating domestic drama settles for shrill melodramatics and stupid behaviour, based on silly coincidences, and culminates in an over-the-top showdown that strives for catharsis, but merely achieves hollow bathos, while the only agreeable character meets a grim farewell.Nice to look at and not without its moments, but much too long-winded and emotionally bloated.Watch Black Sheep instead.4 out of 10 brotherly feuds

Brad macCann done a superb job on this movie. It is a beautiful and thought provoking movie. I congratulate Brad on his choice for the role of 'Paul Prior' Matthew macfadyen is superb in this movie. He sizzles on screen. What a great actor he is. The young Celia was very good too. Loved the music in the movie also and it was good the story was told in flashbacks. I loved the scene's between Paul and Celia. They were superb. Loved the scene when Paul is lying on the bed playing with the net curtains. The scene in the den where Celia tells Paul her dream was so moving and when Celia confronts Paul about the photo. Matthew was superb in that scene. His looks said it all. I could go on and on. Congrats again to Brad.

Well I've just had the sheer pleasure to this great piece of cinema, at a festival in Leipzig, Germany. And by pure chance, too. Despite of me being a big fan of NZ and having traveled allover the place, I still only went in, because Scoop, the new Woody Allen was sold out. And it couldn't have been better, I promise. Just as one expects, the scenery just never fails to make you smile and just wanting to be there immediately. It lures you into it. So one may be quick to wonder, why someone would ever want to leave such a beauty, as our main character. But every beauty has it's dark side and it's secrets. Not only since Mr. Lynch do we know, that quiet and nice small places, in very beautiful sceneries, are in fact bound to hide some of the most ugly and best kept secrets of them all. Here they all seem to circle round his fathers den, the black hole. This place is an of the author brilliantly thought-out thing and for the story serves as a wormhole to travel in time, as well as a simple eye of the storm, around which everything seems to circle for the main characters. So the story slowly begins to unravel before us and very slowly puts the pieces of the true story and it's meaning together. But with each step forward it needs to go further back to bring us closer to the next question and maybe the truth. Even though it is not Memento or Waking Life, it still takes some of our own thinking and action as an audience, to actually put the pieces together, although it's a beautifully simple plot line and a not too complex story. This is were you can see how great it really is. How tightly written and well working it is and how awesome each and every character is portrayed as well as played. And if a den can be portrayed just as well, with an actual feel and real character and thoughts of wonders and dreams and wishes, that every boy or girl would love to call their own, here is one. Finally, it seems to put them all back in their places, even if they tried to run away or hide, from it's unbelievable truth. So this is not a feelgoodmovie or easygoing popcorn fun, it's a very touching and tender, yet tight and gripping film, that deals with the depressions and psychology, in it's very own and special, delicate way. Sadness will prevail. If you like anything about Requiem for a Dream, Mystic River, Virgin Suicides or 21 grams. please go see this movie if you can. As I have learned, tonight was the test for it's European release, so in the very near future it will be on the screen in Europe, at least. And yes by the way the soundtrack is also very good and Patty Smith never felt more healthy and well misplaced. Good on ya ma-tee!