Two Cars, One Night

Watched this cute film twice. It were the best 24 minutes in last few weeks. So many thoughts after and it's just worth it. The way kids talk maybe quite unclear because of the accent but I guarantee you gonna really love Romeo and Polly. Sometimes good things happens in very unpleasant situations.

This reminds me of the times we were left outside the pub whilst our folks were inside boozing. The time, it's nine year old Romeo (Rangi Ngamoki) and his young bookworm brother "Ed" (Te Ahiwaru Ngamoki-Richards) who are waiting when they spy "Polly" (Hutini Wakiato) in the car next to their's. A bit of teasing goes on before a chat that might just see the embryo of undying love born? How many of us had our first crush in a car park whilst bored to distraction? It's a simple story with the younger, entirely indifferent, lad stealing the show as he refuses to fib for his brother trying to impress the girl. It's an honest and amusingly light-hearted observation that does raise a smile now and again.

This film, while short, is nothing short of a masterpiece. It has everything covered, great acting, great camera work, great storyline and writing. The subject matter is rarely approached by filmmakers and I applaud Waititi and Co. in their artful piece.

Although it may not seem so, this short film is set in the present day (hence the reference to Johnny Depp). Two brothers (Romeo & Ed) wait in a car outside the pub their parents are in, when another car pulls up, two people get out and enter the pub, leaving 12 year old Polly in the car. What starts out as taunting and awkward looks, turns into an unlikely friendship between Romeo and Polly (Ed is too busy reading to be interested). What makes this film all the more unique are the thick East Coast (of New Zealand) accents, which most New Zealanders can relate to and make the film extremely realistic. Human connection was the main premise in Two Cars, One Night's creation, as explained by its director Taika Waititi; "I want to show how human contact creates something special in a not so special environment." This really is a one of a kind film which shows the most simple things in life can make the biggest difference.

This short film features two children as the stars and very few others. Both are stuck waiting in the cars for hours with nothing to do at night. The boy (about 9) at first is a jerk and does some pretty obnoxious things to get the older girl's attention. Later, however, the wall between them falls--both figuratively and literally--as they both get one of the cars together and talk. Nothing earth-shattering, but sweet.

What I focused on, though, was not their interaction but I kept wondering about their parents. After all, these are young kids and why are the parents in a pub while the kids are stuck outside? I guess being a parent and school teacher, I notice these things more than others.

Much of the problem enjoying this film was unique to me. I am losing my hearing and struggled desperately to understand the dialog. It really could have used closed captioning and I hate when films neglect to do this when they are broadcast on TV or placed on DVDs. This problem, though, should still be a problem (though perhaps not as bad) to other Americans watching the film because it was made in New Zealand and had a lot of colloquialisms that any American would struggle with interpreting. This means that TWO CARS, ONE NIGHT would probably play better for audiences at home as opposed to abroad.