Energetic Kiwi chase film Pork Pie is an effects-free, fun-filled tribute to old-school stunts
REVIEW: Kiwi comedy Pork Pie is no Hunt for the Wilderpeople, but there are plenty of thrills and laughs to be had.
PORK PIE (M)
Director: Matt Murphy (feature debut)
Starring: Dean O’Gorman, James Rolleston, Ashleigh Cummings, Antonia Prebble, Matt Whelan.
Rating: Three stars
Verdict: Deserves a tip of the hat
THE next New Zealand-made comedy to wash up on Australian shores after last year’s classic Hunt for the Wilderpeople was always going to have a very tough time of it.
So it is a pleasure to discover that this energetic little chase flick (a remake of the 1981 NZ hit Goodbye Pork Pie) does a fine job of both entertaining and amusing an audience.
Sure, it ain’t no Wilderpeople, but no one will walk away truly disillusioned by the outcome.
A freewheeling (and on occasion, frenetic) tale centres on three random acquaintances making an epic run across the length of New Zealand (south to north, if you’re wondering) in a stolen Mini Cooper.
Jon (Dean O’Gorman) is a novelist suffering from an immovable case of writer’s block. His only hope of a cure is to confront his greatest fear: explaining to the love of his life why he left her moments before their wedding was about to start.
Jon is also stone cold broke. Hence the need to hitch any lift he can en route to his lady love. Enter Luke (James Rolleston), a charismatic young getaway driver who is currently burning rubber to steer clear of some not-so-nice former associates.
On a rare pit stop, Luke allows Jon aboard his high-velocity vehicle. Later, the less-than-compatible pair are joined by Keira (Ashleigh Cummings), an angsty animal activist.
With the cops always on their tail — and a captivated nation keeping tabs on their progress via TV and social media — the trio of tearaways must come up with some kooky ideas to complete their improvised odyssey.
While lacking any huge laugh-out-loud moments, the chase and crash sequences generously distributed across Pork Pie are uniformly excellent.
It is well worth bearing in mind that all of the movie’s road-rampaging scenes were filmed with actual wheels touching real tarmac.
Too many big-screen car chases these days (yes, we are talking about you, Fast and Furious flicks) are addicted to special-effects steroids. To the extent that you are often actually watching an animated simulation of a high-speed pursuit or a jaw-dropping stunt.
Refreshingly, Pork Pie’soh-so-analog swerves, slides, skids and collisions are just as exciting as the digitally-enhanced stuff to which Hollywood has become hopelessly dependent.
Victoria: Pork Pie is now showing at selected Hoyts and Village cinemas.
New South Wales: Pork Pie is now showing at selected Hoyts and Event cinemas.
Queensland: Pork Pie is now showing at selected Event cinemas
Originally published as Energetic Kiwi chase film Pork Pie is an effects-free, fun-filled tribute to old-school stunts
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