Review - No.2

I have just finished watching Toa Fraser's debut feature film No. 2.

After having Sione's Wedding talked up all year as the pacific culture film to see, and being largely disapointed by it - i had put off seeing No. 2. What was I thinking?

No. 2 is the story of Nana Maria the matriarch of her large Fijian family in Mt Roskill, who is making one last attempt to pull her family back together by asking her grandchildren to put on a party for her.

Fraser captures almost perfectly the nature of extended families - long-standing unresolved arguments, general envy, brothers and sisters/aunties and uncles that just don't get on, and the grand children who all seem to be on the same level.

The performances are outstanding - the excellent Ruby Dee (Mother Sister in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing) plays Nana Maria and captures perfectly the mana of the role, not to mention hiding her New York accent to convincingly pull off a Fijian New Zealander. Taungaroa Emile (Boogie in Once Were Warriors) is also fantastic, and for me almost the entire principal cast is great.

No.2 is a warm and funny story of a divided family pulling out all the stops and getting over their petty dislikes of each other to come together for their Nana.

The film transends being just a 'pacific' story, it has a real modern day New Zealand feel to it, and is well worth checking out.

****