The Hopes & Dreams of Gazza Snell

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.

Interpersonal drama is a staple of New Zealand filmmaking. It's a process of telling human stories the vast majority of people can identify with. This makes plenty of sense in a small filmgoing market & also helps universalise local films for an international audience. Debut feature director Brendan Donovan cleverly exploits this angle with his film about a grown man who needs to grow up. A veteran of several short films (including one starring Lee Majors) and several Kiwi TV dramas (he fulfilled many dreams by destroying the nation's capital in an earthquake telemovie), Donovan is a talented storyteller. Not averse to the occasional foray into mystical surrealism, he isn't so much an auteur as a very capable filmmaker who knows how to engage an audience. For this reason, Gazza Snell is an easily accessible movie that doesn't rewrite the parameters of filmmaking. Instead it tells a heartfelt tale of a father of 2 boys obsessed with go-kart racing. When one of the sons winds up in a coma after a nasty – yet exhilarating – crash, Gazza begins the long-overdue process of reconstituting his priorities, both to his sons & long-suffering wife. Along the way, the eldest son enters into a relationship with an Asian girl, allowing Donovan to explore certain comical elements of racial tension in one of Auckland's largest Asian suburbs. Especially funny is a scene in which Gazza inadvertently makes a racial slur while driving, much to the girl's amusement and the son's embarrassment. Aussie actor William McInnes plays Gazza as a likable buffoon, with more than a hint of Homer. TV's Outrageous Fortune star Robyn Malcolm excels as hard done by mum. And the kids are charismatic newcomers. Standout performance is comedian Brendan Lovegrove as, well, Brendan Lovegrove. And the scene of mum cavorting with Gazza's best friend in an empty Para Pool is pure kiwiana. Although it's a relatively straightforward family drama, the action sequences of go-kart races are powerful on the big screen, especially with the sound effects and music cranked up really high. The scene in which the boys jump into a hilltop water tank is also stunning, with Donovan using it poetically late in the film to illustrate a poignant moment in the script. With NZ feature Boy breaking local box office records at the moment, it's a good time for Kiwi films, especially at home. But it's also time for new talent to emerge to add diversity to the country's modest filmmaking industry. Donovan has proved himself capable and ready to be counted. Now he's underway, it's going to be interesting to see how he expands his storytelling skills to carve a progressively more unique path as a filmmaker. He's certainly got the looks to help him on his way.

An exceptional story is one that captures the audience from the start."The Hopes and Dreams of Gazza Snell" breaks into full-speed action and within minutes our hearts are pounding and we are left gasping for breath. It is a classic suburban kiwi drama dealing with deep personal issues,unfulfilled dreams,marriage crisis and most importantly family love. Highlights for me were the heartfelt scenes between father and son, the humorous bill-board scene and the beautiful and clever symbolism in the shots of the boys swimming in the water tank. This film will capture your heart and leave you with something to think about for days. Congratualtions!

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.

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.