The Hopes & Dreams of Gazza Snell

I'm sorry, but after watching the world premiere of this film, a film that has been seven years in the making, I was left with only one thing to say: is this the best you can do, New Zealand? That might seem an ignorant and crass comment about a low-budget New Zealand film, but I just feel that to really make it on the world stage this country needs to step up its game and make eye-catching pieces of cinema, not mediocre works that would sit more comfortably as TV fodder.

Sure, there's nothing terribly wrong with the film, but there's nothing outstanding about it either. Maybe my mood was soured by watching this back to back with Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In The West – which is a long time to sit in a cinema with its almost 3 hour running time. This film was set and shot in the East Auckland suburb of Howick (so Once Upon A Time In The East?), and is a melodramatic tale of a man obsessed with the racing achievements of his two sons.

And here's where the story falls down. The script, by director Brendan Donovan and David Brechin-Smith, concerns itself far too much with the melodrama of the family unit and – probably due to the nature of the event that causes the drama of the piece – there's very little left to laugh at. The writers have attempted to portray the father figure of the title as a lovable rogue, but his machinations leave little to empathise with, and it's left to the minor characters to provide any level of enjoyment.

I'm sure Donovan can go on to do bigger and better things. He just needs to start off with a stronger script next time. Still, if his career as a film director does start to wane, he could always fall back on to stand-up comedy. After a very funny introduction to the film, Donovan was joined by the rest of the principle cast after the screening for a Q&A session. Around 3 or 4 questions in, an elderly lady in the audience stepped up and creaked something along the lines of "I thought the racing scenes were far too loud, and probably beyond the legally allowed limits..." Butting in, Donovan stepped up to the mike and said "Excuse me, could you please speak up, I think I've gone deaf."

While many films around are trying to be big and fantastical (and there is nothing wrong with that), this film focuses on the importance of relationships, family and love, and the most important message of all – protect and love those closest to you.

While the film kicks off introducing a man that smothers his sons with expectation and who has a seemingly endless reserve of optimism, we quickly begin to see ordinary lives come apart at the seems.

William McInnes plays the title role of Gazza Snell, and is certainly scruffier than the average leading man, but tucked in between all the hurt and the jokes, the character development and the across-the-board terrific performances show an unexpectedly sharp look at the survival instincts of a working-class family.

Robyn Malcolm performance is wonderful and unexpected as the long- suffering wife whose often panicked face shows you what a dreamer without a dream looks like.

The elder son's performance is something to be noted, and the part of the film I enjoyed most was the relationship he forms with a local Chinese girl. This relationship added a whole other element to the film and shows that there is something beautiful about a relationship that has its beginning at the crossroads of hope and despair

Though this story of Gazza, tucked behind the wheel while the rest of the family pushes, might seem like an unlikely vehicle for transformation this film really is a touching human drama, a tale about genuine faith, and one that gripped me to the very end.

A touching story that explores the effects of one man's obsession to see his kids excel in something he didn't quite achieve himself. A classic case of a father living vicariously through his sons exploits on the cart racing track.

The story races into life with an intense scene of high speed carting that will set the blood pumping in anyone in the audience with a pulse. The story enters a sobering state when one of the sons enters a coma after a dramatic crash. Gazza is forced to confront both his own priorities and those of his family as they wrestle with the prospect of their son and brother possibly not sharing their lives any longer.

The plot is well assembled, the script not at all forced or contrived. The characters are highly believable and the story also explores some of the cosmopolitan melding that is under way in modern New Zealand.

All told a great film, exhilarating with poignant moments. Highly recommended.

Fantastic, compelling, funny, captivating movie. Congrats on an excellent script which never loses the viewer for a moment. Great acting/directing. I grew up in Howick and this film captures the essence of the East Auckland suburb... the suburban dreams, the ignorant racism, the generational clashes and the price of ego. Highlights: the swimming pool scene, the gorgeous brothers who are brothers in real life, the quirky way in which the older brother finds understanding from someone whose culture and background are so different to his, Robyn Malcolm who is so completely believable and engaging as Gazza's long-suffering wife.... Fantastically entertaining movie that stayed with me for days after. Thoroughly recommended.

I think this is a great New Zealand offering. It's a small slice of suburban life which seems perfectly at ease on the big screen.

Slick film making, a tight script, great acting, and a gripping story means you'll laugh and cry as you go on a journey that is set in suburban Howick.

It's a story about ordinary lives that become extraordinary as we get caught up in their drama. A father learns a hard lesson when his youngest son is hurt in a go-karting accident and the eldest son Marc deals with some serious guilt because he believes he's responsible for the accident.

It's a classic case of a dad wanting success for his sons but for Gazza it comes at a cost. I'm not going to spoil the story and tell you too much but I am going to recommend that you get along and see it for yourselves.

Robyn Malcolm (Outrageous Fortune) and Williams McInnes (Look Both Ways)are perfectly cast. The striking Josh McKenzie who plays eldest son Marc has potential Hollywood heartthrob written all over him. Auckland Art Director Phil Ivey (In My Father's Den, Lord of the Rings)has caught the nuances of the suburban setting aptly and the race-track scenes make for seat-of-your-pants action. One scene that stands out in my mind is when Marc takes his go-kart out onto the mean streets of Howick by night. It reminded me of hooning in Mum's car (something Howickites will relate to) only much louder and faster.

If you like stories about real characters reacting to plausible life drama you'll enjoy this film. Brendan has an immediate and captivating film-making style. This may be a result of his years working as a commercial director in New York.

I hope he gets to make a lot more films about stories like this. They're real and they're about people like us. Served up with that Donovan vision makes for interesting and entertaining cinema.