Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Boy, an 11-year-old child and devout Michael Jackson fan who lives on the east coast of New Zealand in 1984, gets a chance to know his absentee criminal father, who has returned to find a bag of money he buried years ago.
Taika Waititi's 'Boy' is a deeply singular film — its Māori cultural specificity, 1984 New Zealand setting, Michael Jackson obsession, and bittersweet coming-of-age tone create a completely distinctive voice that is unmistakably Waititi's own. The novelty is genuine: few films blend childhood fantasy, poverty, grief, and deadbeat-dad comedy with this much warmth and specificity. Acting is charming and naturalistic, particularly from the young lead James Rolleston and Waititi himself as the father, though not transcendent. The plot is fairly simple and episodic, functional rather than ambitious. Cinematography captures the rural East Coast setting with affection but doesn't push into exceptional territory. The ending is emotionally honest and resonant — the illusion about the father is shattered in a quiet, earned way — but not startling enough to warrant a top score.