Predicament (2010)

Ronald Hugh Morrieson's novel Predicament is a humorous, dark tale of the seedy underbelly of a small New Zealand town. This movie keeps the humour and tone of the book while also adding to it a modern freshness to make it relevant to today's audience.

The lead cast all turn in excellent performances, not only to give the movie a great dramatic feel but also to deliver truly comedic moments that lighten what could otherwise, at times, be a pretty dark tale. Hayden Frost is perfect as Cedric, the awkward, friendless, and yet good- hearted teenager. Heath Franklin delivers a great performance as Mervyn, a manipulative and at times slightly threatening bludger. Tim Finn provides some special moments as Cedric's befuddled dad. But for many the highlight will be Jemaine Clement's creepy and yet deeply funny Spook.

A great script and terrific performances aside, this movie also looks fantastic. The art direction and costume design are impressively stylish and make the 30s look like a pretty cool time to be around. On top of this, the cinematography delivers a movie with lush colours and, at times, a darkness that is just perfect for the tone of the movie.

I thoroughly enjoyed my night out seeing this movie during the film festival, and the rest of the audience did too. This movie is bound to become a New Zealand classic and must be seen on the big screen to be truly appreciated.