Goodbye Pork Pie

Goodbye Pork Pie is one of my favourite movies, mainly because it covers everything about road trips, hitch-hiking and hassles with the law in New Zealand. Kiwi's get a real kick from GBPP because it's a hoot to see the old police cars, the chases in Wellington CBD, the dope smoking, the small "in" jokes about how New Zealanders see each other. You might have trouble finding in in NTSC f

This film is an indispensable piece of Kiwiana. While the humour has certainly dated, it's still heaps of fun....and an excellent example of the road movie genre. Good for including many different locations in New Zealand, too. Was (and possibly still is) very popular in its native land.

Typical road/buddy movie about two strangers who come together through circumstance and then bond in their quest to snub authority and the system. This time it's done in along trek across New Zealand in a very small (yet very durable) little car. Certainly not the most original idea and not the most plausible either. Yet the humor is genuinely funny and the characters are better defined than other movies of similar type (ala GUMBALL RALLY). Actor Johnson is particularly good as a rebellious and confused young man with no constructive outlet to channel his emotions. Overall this is not a important movie nor even a memorable one, but it is a enetertaining one that should bring out everyones deep seated desire for independance and nonconformity.

If you desire a film that has little effect on your psyche, then this is it. It has an enjoyment factor to rival many big budget films from both sides of the continent. To it's credit is the tiny budget and the 'number 8 fencing wire' approach by the cameramen at the time. As the Mini is now officially out of production, it may be of small comfort to know that the car involved can impress drivers from all walks of life. An icon for Mini enthusiasts as it shows the versatility of the car and for film buffs as there is more ad-libbing in the show than in a Michael Parkinson chat show. Enjoyable from start to finish, albeit too short and a bit disjointed. A classic that shows many slices of New Zealand life that no other camera would dare to cover. Enjoy.

I had never heard of this film until I searched amazon.com for my name (I'm easily amused). An actor with the same name as myself (Kelly Johnson) was the result of my search and his first film was "Goodbye Pork Pie." I purchased it straight away. I was so excited to find I actually enjoyed the film. It's quirky and crazy, a lot of fun, has great (oftentimes wacky) characters and takes you on a wild ride through New Zealand. It offers a new view of NZ if you've only seen films such as one of those "Lord of the Rings" or "Whale Rider" (a gorgeous example). The fact that it was made in 1981 enhances it's excellence. Highly recommended as an alternative to Hollywood-style humour. Adios Pork Pie!