De Repente Mãe

Love Rose Matafeo. Love Taika Waititi. Quite like Neville from Harry Potter. So I was really looking forward to watching this. But, Rose's character's behaviour is downright unbelievable. I could have forgiven this if the film was hilarious, but it just isn't - there are a couple of funny moments, but that's it. Such a shame.

It started off well. It was funny and the chemistry between the two leads was fantastic. But Zoe became increasingly annoying and over the top.

It was saved by the last ten minutes.

The film wanted us to feel something but I just didn't believe Zoe's character. Shame.

A pleasant if unremarkable New Zealand comedy, Baby Done never tries to mess with the well-worn baby/new parents sub-genre of comedy features but it would be hard to walk away from this gentle and simply effective tale without a smile on your face.

Starring New Zealand comedy star Rose Matafeo (in a role that is likely to gain her significant attention globally) and Neville Longbottom himself Matthew Lewis in one of his best roles yet outside of the Harry Potter franchise he made his name in, Curtis Vowell's quickfire comedic outing wins instant points with its likeable leads taking centre stage as young couple Zoe and Tim whose lives take a 180 degree turn when they find out they're having a baby.

What follows on from this news is fairly stereotypical of such comedies, pregnancy classes, bucket list ideas and stressing out about what life may now look like with a new addition in tow but in a neat twist on the usual this time around Zoe is the one who is more reluctant to accept the new life she is about to enter into while the considered and softly spoken Tim is the one "nesting" at home and willing to embrace what lays ahead of him with parenthood.

This fresh spin on the usual man-child shtick that litters most of these modern parenthood comedies is another win for the film and while you're never really in any doubt about how things will pan out in this tale, witnessing Zoe struggle to give up her dreams and career easily provides amusing life antidotes and funny moments that makes Vowell's film constantly engaging without ever threatening to be an absolute gem.

With so many highly regarded films being born in New Zealand over the last decade (think What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople etc.), Baby Done never feels as instantly quality as some of its beloved counterparts but its universal themes, flawed but enjoyable characters and sense of heart make it another solid addition to the countries growing list of winning products.

Final Say -

Some great chemistry between its two leads and an easy to digest story ensure Baby Done is another fine New Zealand offering and while it may not provide any huge (baby) belly laughs or provide anything new to its familiar plot-line, this is a comedic effort that is sure to please audiences from around the world.

3 parent teacher interviews out of 5.

When I watched this at first I think I was doing so in the wrong way. I took the female lead's experiences literally and so it just seemed that she was going through a terrible episode of psychological distress/dissociation, risking her life and the baby's while nobody thought to support her. However, reflecting on it, it probably was intended to be a slightly over-the-top comedic metaphor for the genuine fears and angst about the changes happening in your life when you have a child. Despite taking it a bit too seriously, I could relate to a lot of those fears, had a couple of laugh out loud moments and overall found it very sweet!