Pork Pie

In debut writer/director Matt Murphy's 2017 action-drama "Pork Pie" (remaking 1980's iconic "Goodbye Pork Pie") James Rolleston, Dean O'Gorman & Ashleigh Cummings (each in a personal crisis) come together in a stolen Mini Cooper S revving from New Zealand's North Island to the foot of it's South, attracting increasing police & media attention as they rise in prominence like modern Bonnie & Clydes. Performances are fresh (esp Rolleston & O'Gorman) and the film particularly showcases the car & NZ's beautiful countryside (as a fine sales job for both). While not atop the anti-hero genre, it's still an enjoyable escapist romp.

As a standalone movie it is OK, although the character development is somewhat lacking. It was a bit hard to connect to the main character.

Some nice scenery shots but the trip through this beautiful country we call New Zealand was disjointed with little to identify the locations.

It didn't have the same feeling as the original. The silliness that made Goodbye Pork Pie a fun film just wasn't present there for me.

Pork Pie is a story of a car thief Luke (James Rolleston), struggling writer Jon (Dean O'Gorman) who recently left his fiancee at the altar, and vegan protester Keira (Ashleigh Cummings). Initially Luke stole the car while running away from some thugs, then ended up picking up a hitchhiking Jon after almost running him over, then picking up Keira, after she quit her fast foot job. The journey turns into them running away from cops, protesting for animal rights, and finally getting Jon to see his fiancee Susie before she leaves for a fresh start in London. And, all the while, as they evade the cops, the story goes around and country tries to cheer for... whatever they're trying to do.

The first three quarters of the movie has funny parts, great driving, great scenery of New Zealand. The three characters work well with each other. It's a fun movie that seems to be going nowhere with no clear goal, but nonetheless a fun ride. Had it ended there, it would have been a quaint movie, but otherwise forgettable.

What really sealed it for me was the last twenty minutes. It changes from a movie where you're laughing at the scenes but not really invested in the characters to where you're really, really rooting for Jon. Not giving anything away but the scene where he says "this is what it's like...me showing up for you"... just... wow.

Oh, and the driver in a mini in a chicken suit-- hilarious!

Those last 20 minutes turned this movie from a 6 to an 8 in my mind. And that's not to say it's a "6" movie with an "8" ending, only that the ending pays off so well, it just puts everything else in context and elevates the movie as a whole.

8/10. watch until the end, and note there are scenes in the credits.

Novelist Jon (Dean O'Gorman) is walking down the middle of the road when he almost gets run over by Luke Anahera (James Rolleston) in his Mini Cooper. Jon gets a ride with Luke without knowing that the car is stolen. Along the way, they pick up Keira Leigh-Jones (Ashleigh Cummings), a vegan activist working a burger drive-thru window.

The original was apparently a New Zealand hit. I know nothing about any of that. I come into this completely blind and this is fine. Mostly, I like the three characters and their initial get-together. I would like all of them to stay together. There are a few questionable turns and the big car chase is somewhat amusing. At the end of the day, the characters make me like the movie.

I don't know how to describe the genre of this movie. It can be called a feel good movie, Thriller movie or comedy! Actually it has all the elements. Its a fun film and it has a realistic feel good treatment. But it's thrilling. "Pork pie" is not an edge of the seat thriller or crime thriller. It's a nice thriller. It keeps the viewer engaged.

Basically it is a road movie. Three people in a cute yellow mini cooper are traveling from one place of New Zealand to another place which is far away. But they are not friends and they didn't start the journey together. Also initially they have no specific mission. The movie just stats and then it get it's pace.

It has some thrilling chase sequences and lots of nice scenes. Almost every scene has something to entertain the viewers. Acting of every actor – the main and supporting cast -in the film was superb. That is very enjoyable to watch.

It is the remake of Kiwi classic film "good bye pork pie" which was directed by Geoff Murphy in 1981. The interesting fact is that, Pork Pie (2017) was directed by his son Matt Murphy. I watched this movie without any expectation. I just started watching and watched till the end in single stretch. It was a very refreshing experience for me. After a point I was really involved and their missions became mine too. That right 'mate'. PS: use subtitles because their accent is little difficult to understand sometimes