As it goes with the Sundance Film Festival, some movies make waves, others flop, and others still just come and go. That’s more or less what happened with Taika Waititi‘s "Hunt For The Wilderpeople," which earned some decent buzz if you put your ear to the ground, though it didn’t quite cause a bidding war. Our own review noted that it’s "a perfectly amicable dramedy" and not much else.
Starring Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, and Oscar Kightley, and based on the book "Wild Pork And Watercress" by Barry Crump, it tells the story of the orphaned Ricky, who heads off into the forest with his cranky foster Uncle, Hec. Here’s the official synopsis:
Raised on hip-hop and foster care, defiant city kid Ricky gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside. He quickly finds himself at home with his new foster family: the loving Aunt Bella, the cantankerous Uncle Hec, and dog Tupac. When a tragedy strikes that threatens to ship Ricky to another home, both he and Hec go on the run in the bush. As a national manhunt ensues, the newly branded outlaws must face their options: go out in a blaze of glory or overcome their differences and survive as a family.
"Hunt For The Wilderpeople" opens in New Zealand on March 31st and will be released in the U.S. by The Orchard.