No. 37. (2020) BELLBIRD. July 11th.

Film No. 37 (2020) July 11th.  3:40 PM  FENWICK 3 CINEMAS  Esperance.                        

"I know you miss mum, I miss her everyday too, if we miss her together it will be a little bit easier than doing it by ourselves" (Bruce explains his shared grief with his dad, Ross).

Some of my favourite films quietly meander, relying on silence and character subtleties (Manchester By The Sea, I Daniel Blake) and while I won't count Bellbird as a favourite, it has plenty of the above and a milk pail of heart. I enjoyed its pleasant nature.

Ross (Marshall Napier) is connected to the land, (North Country New Zealand), his wife Beth (Annie Whittle) and son Bruce, without showing too much emotion. It's mainly the farm he feels comfortable with. When there is a family tragedy, Ross is put to the test. How will he cope? It's then we are introduced to the characters Connie (Rachel House), teenager Marley (Kahukura Retimana) and earnest vet Clem (Stephen Tamaraya) who help add colour to the pallet of the film.

Writer/Director Hamish Bennett grew up in the fields highlighted in Bellbird. His short film simply titled Ross and Beth (2014) set the blueprint for this feature. The late, great John Clarke played alongside Whittle here. I feel sure Clarke would have been preferred to Napier if not for his passing in 2017. Napier, while engaging, gave Ross a moroseness which, to my mind, was marginally over played.

Since Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) audiences have fallen for the uninhibited, likable nature of the N.Z. locals. House, Retimana and Tamaraya give Bellbird the laughs on this occasion. Taika Waititi along with Clarke first presented this dry, self effacing humour, as New Zealand's gift to the world. Bellbird continues to give. 8GUMS.