This Town is a new kiwi film by Director David White who is also the main actor. So, what’s it all about.
Watch Andrew’s review here:
Or if you want to read – here it is in words:
Plot
The film is set in a fictional kiwi town called Thiston – where a family was brutally murdered and the prime suspect was the surviving son. He was acquitted of the killings, but is still under a cloud of suspicion. – the movie traces his attempts to reconcile his past and find romance. It’s billed as a dark comedy.
Acting
The cast perform well, but they seemed a little hamstrung by a reliance on slapstick and stoicism. Each of the players seemed to be caricatures rather than characters – and some needed more emotion and depth to them.
7 out of 10 for acting.
Plot/Script
The story was engaging, quirky and had some excellent moments in it, but there seemed to be an inconsistency to the tone of the film – billed as a dark comedy, it was amusing at times, but lacked emotional intensity and believable conflict.
6/10 for story
Cinematography
There were some truly inspired shots and and I particularly liked the use of cleverly created montage segments.
– so 7/10 for cinematography
Set/Costumes
Great use of locations both interior and exterior in this film and the costuming suited the depiction of an odd and quirky New Zealand town.
– so 7/10 for this.
Entertainment
The film was entertaining and a nice watch, but a lack of believable tension between characters reduced the emotional impact of the story.
7 out of 10 for entertainment value.
Average
Averaging all those scores means This Town gets an average of 6.8 out of ten.
Conclusion
This was a fun film, but while viewing it I couldn’t help thinking about the true story of the Bain Family murders.
This film took a lighthearted approach to a horrific crime – and in doing so, missed the chance of creating something truly remarkable and memorable This wasn’t a dark comedy – it was a lightly tanned – – and thats a shame.
THIS TOWN
In New Zealand Cinemas 7 August 2020
95 Minutes
Starring: David White, Robyn Malcolm, Alice May Connolly, Rima Te Wiata,
Directed by: David White
Watch the trailer here:
