Boy (2010) - Review

Turns out, Taika Waititi made a movie before What We Do in the Shadows. Who knew? And it turns out it was a Wes Anderson rip-off! I’m being facetious, because I really enjoy this. Despite this type of quirky coming of age story being done time and time again, Taika’s type of humour and tone help this film standalone. His signature type of goofy, New Zealand humour hits so well here, delivered amazingly by James Rolleston and Taika Waititi himself. And like his best films, it balances the humour with its serious moments. He allows the heavy themes and emotional moments to breathe, instead of undercutting them with jokes. It’s no wonder that Taika became so prolific, because with this film he showed how he puts his personal stamp on whatever genre he works with.