I come fresh from the cinema having just seen this film and wow, it is beyond brilliant. I've only recently seen the original (I'm 21, cut me some slack), so I went into this perhaps expecting a 100% remake of the original, but it wasn't.
It was much better than expected. The film is adapted for a completely new audience, and its fresh and refreshing for having been so different to the original. We have an eccentric trio of characters, each bringing to the table something wholesome and believable.
In true millennial fashion we have Keira, this generations Shirl. Keira is a vegan, and an avid protester against live exporting of animals. While Keira may have strong beliefs, it's evident that this isn't a film with an agenda. Keiras vegan-ism is a character trait, and a way to provide us with some genuinely funny moments.
On the other end of the scale, we have Luke, a young man of Maori decent with a pretty sad past. Luke repeals and replaces Gerry from the original film, and I honestly think Luke is the better character. Luke is intelligent, but a drifter in life since his mother died, leading him into a life of fast cars and easy (illegal) money.
Lastly we have Jon, who replaces, er, John. This generations Jon is essentially a younger version of the original- except maybe without the covert sexism, which is probably just a summary of the entire film.
At its heart, Pork Pie is really a modern take on the original, but it stands on its own two feet as well. Pork Pie provides its characters with genuine substance, and a solid backstory. None of this is shoehorned in and it plays out naturally, allowing the audience to feel as if they too are one of the gang, finding out information as the other characters do. The story paces well, albeit with a few minor lapses in story somewhere in the middle.
All in all, Pork Pie lived up to the expectations I held it to, and then some.
Watch it. Now.
It was much better than expected. The film is adapted for a completely new audience, and its fresh and refreshing for having been so different to the original. We have an eccentric trio of characters, each bringing to the table something wholesome and believable.
In true millennial fashion we have Keira, this generations Shirl. Keira is a vegan, and an avid protester against live exporting of animals. While Keira may have strong beliefs, it's evident that this isn't a film with an agenda. Keiras vegan-ism is a character trait, and a way to provide us with some genuinely funny moments.
On the other end of the scale, we have Luke, a young man of Maori decent with a pretty sad past. Luke repeals and replaces Gerry from the original film, and I honestly think Luke is the better character. Luke is intelligent, but a drifter in life since his mother died, leading him into a life of fast cars and easy (illegal) money.
Lastly we have Jon, who replaces, er, John. This generations Jon is essentially a younger version of the original- except maybe without the covert sexism, which is probably just a summary of the entire film.
At its heart, Pork Pie is really a modern take on the original, but it stands on its own two feet as well. Pork Pie provides its characters with genuine substance, and a solid backstory. None of this is shoehorned in and it plays out naturally, allowing the audience to feel as if they too are one of the gang, finding out information as the other characters do. The story paces well, albeit with a few minor lapses in story somewhere in the middle.
All in all, Pork Pie lived up to the expectations I held it to, and then some.
Watch it. Now.