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Boy (I) (2010)

Not Rated  |   |  Comedy, Drama  |  25 March 2010 (New Zealand)
7.5
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Ratings: 7.5/10 from 7,373 users   Metascore: 70/100
Reviews: 29 user | 72 critic | 19 from Metacritic.com

Set on the east coast of New Zealand in the year 1984, Boy, an 11-year-old kid and devout Michael Jackson fan gets a chance to know his father, who has returned to find a bag of money he buried years ago.

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Boy
Te Aho Eketone-Whitu ...
...
Moerangi Tihore ...
Cherilee Martin ...
RickyLee Waipuka-Russell ...
Chardonnay (as Rickylee Waipuka-Russell)
Haze Reweti ...
Maakariini Butler ...
Rajvinder Eria ...
Manihera Rangiuaia ...
Darcy Ray Flavell-Hudson ...
Rachel House ...
Waihoroi Shortland ...
...
...
Edit

Storyline

It's 1984, and Michael Jackson is king-even in Waihau Bay, New Zealand. Here we meet Boy, an 11-year-old who lives on a farm with his gran, a goat, and his younger brother, Rocky (who thinks he has magic powers). Shortly after Gran leaves for a week, Boy's father, Alamein, appears out of the blue. Having imagined a heroic version of his father during his absence, Boy comes face to face with the real version-an incompetent hoodlum who has returned to find a bag of money he buried years before. This is where the goat enters. Written by Sundance Film Festival

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

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Country:

Language:

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Release Date:

25 March 2010 (New Zealand)  »

Also Known As:

Мальчик  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$15,569 (USA) (23 March 2012)

Gross:

$255,179 (USA) (22 June 2012)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Taika Waititi was less than a week away from filming when he realised the boy he had as lead wasn't working out. Three days before filming began, James Rolleston, who was hanging around on set as an extra, was given the lead by Taika Waititi. See more »

Goofs

In the opening scene there is a decrepit old truck with a bent old license plate "ME1831" License plates in NZ are released alphabetically starting with AA and culminating with ZZ before the system switched to the a three letter three number system. "M" license plates were first seen in about 1985 - a year after this film was set. A truck that old in 1985 would have had and A,B,C or D license plate. See more »

Quotes

Boy: Hey Auntie, can I have an ice block please?
Aunty Gracey: No.
Boy: Aww... it's not fair!
Aunty Gracey: Get a job then!
Boy: Aww... There's none left; you've got them all!
See more »

Crazy Credits

Mid credits scene: Spoof of Michael Jackson's Thriller See more »

Connections

References E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) See more »

Soundtracks

Aku Raukura (Disco Mix)
(M Prime/N Pewhairangi)
Control
Performed by Patea Maori Club
Courtesy of Jayrem Records
See more »

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User Reviews

 
It's the afterglow that counts
4 June 2010 | by (New Zealand) – See all my reviews

I had been told how funny this movie was, and there are quite a few chuckles in the first 20 minutes or so, and then it buckles down to show us the real story of pre-pubescence in a rural community and the father-son thing. It was explored in depth and very well too, and never gets nasty as some NZ movies can do, but still wrings your heart out. The end-piece was stunning, utilising the obsession with a teenage Michael Jackson and humour as only the NZ Maori do. I left the theatre with mixed feelings but since then I have felt buoyed up (sorry) and am remembering it fondly. Will definitely see it again and may add it to my small collection of NZ films. Others have mentioned Eagle and Shark and Secondhand Wedding, but this is more historical and captures the era perfectly. Well done all - especially to all the actors under 20, we know the adults can act, but these fellas will be worth watching out for in the future.


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