“Wear your gumboots and walk warily. This is such a strong tear jerker it will leave the floors slippery. “
Con Nats
3.5 high notes
Tina is Maori for Mother so don’t go expecting this film to have anything to do with the Turner variety.
Mareta (Anapela Polataivao) is a tired teacher in a public school when she loses her daughter in the Christchurch quakes. She becomes a recluse for three years, but needs to apply for work to keep her social security support. Surprisingly, she becomes a substitute music teacher at an elite school as she would “offer the kids something different” according to a supportive teacher Alan (Dalip Sondhi).
Mareta is inspired by a student, Sophie (Antonia Robinson) to start a school choir. To do this Tina has to battle middle class casual racism, Pasifika resistance and the daily demons that school kids endure, amplified by the arrogance of private school teachers. As the choir gradually comes together, she rediscovers her passion for teaching, reconnecting with children and a closure on the loss of her daughter.
There are a lot of plot lines jammed in here. There is Sophie’s disconnect with her mother after her injuries from the quake. Nephew Sio (Beulah Koale) fights his drug demons, while the choir boys fight the rugby boys and the deputy principal, Mr Wadsworth (Jamie Irvine) plays the villain alongside the rugby coach. They are sheer caricatures, yet, I recall them from my school days.
This is nicely shot and the music pieces are excellent, although overly long. This film has a big heart which is encapsulated Polataivao’s brilliant performance. She is magnificent as Mareta. You can feel her grief but no need to pity this strong Samoan woman. She is a real and flawed human, still grieving her daughter. She is the emotional centre of this film. Robinson, as Sophie, is also very good and keeps her emotions in check and their chemistry is moving.
As an outsider, there were a couple of issues which jarred. As feisty friend Rona (Nicole Whippy) asks: Why take this role at a rich white kids school instead of her old school of poor Samoan kids? Why give her all to these people who reject her? This ‘brown martyr’ theme annoyed me as did the final image. But I guess this had to appeal across the brown divide.
Writer-Director Miki Magasiva admits she was moved by a Choir competition to write this script, as opposed to basing it on a quake survivor’s tale. Still, the scenes where they sing are highlights and this explains why she refused to use the edit button. This film is also very clean. It doesn’t matter whether these kids were in a fight or an earthquake, they look like they left a dry cleaners.
There is no denying its ability to draw out the emotions and keep the tears flowing. This is about a mother’s love and a healing country. Wear your gumboots and walk warily. This is such a strong tear jerker it will leave the floors slippery.
3.5 High Notes
Con Nats, On The Screen
