Hunt for the Wilderpeople

So Saturday night was a middle aged lady night in for me.  A nice dinner was made, the chores were done, the candles were lit and a movie was picked.  Going to the cinema is an expensive night out - costing $17 for a ticket, which isn't as much as the UK, where a blog I read during the week said it was 10 pounds ($25 NZ) which is crazy, and makes it unaffordable for many including families.  I don't have a DVD player anymore, but use my apple tv to stream movies, which cost around $8 here to rent a movie.  I still love going to the movies, and hadn't had a chance to see this one and was happy to watch it by myself at home.

It is a very Kiwi film, one that I think does a great job of merging drama and humor, in a way that Hollywood films fail miserably at doing.  Ricky Baker is a 12 year old that has struggled with previous foster homes until he is sent to the country to live with Bella and her husband, the very grumpy Hector (Sam Neill).  Here he learns survival skills and an unlikely buddy story emerges.

Julian Dennison was awesome as Ricky Baker and you can't help but love his cheeky Kiwi charm and his need to be a gangster.  From the interviews I have seen he is just as likable in real life and is enjoying all the attention of being a movie star.  4/5