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After the Waterfall

After the Waterfall

2010

A New Zealand drama, based on the novel The Paraffin Child by UK author Stephen Blanchard. Set and shot in Piha, on Auckland's beautiful West Coast.

Still grieving three years after the disappearance of his four-year-old daughter, forest ranger John (Outrageous Fortune's Antony Starr) has separated from his wife Ana (Sally Stockwell). When Ana becomes pregnant to John's best friend – the policeman in charge of his missing daughter's case – tensions boil to the surface in the isolated community. This is the debut feature from writer-director Simone Horrocks.

Starring Antony Starr, Peter McCauley, Sally Stockwell, Cohen Holloway

Directed by Simone Horrocks (feature debut)

Written by Simone Horrocks (based on the novel 'The Paraffin Child' by Stephen Blanchard)

Drama, Adaptation | 1hr 35mins | Rated (M) | contains violence, offensive language, drug use | Origin: New Zealand | Official Site »

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The Talk

2 votes / 1 comments

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  • kiwisara

    Being filmed in my home town (Piha) makes this a need to see film for me:-)

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Flicks review

  •  3

    Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz

    Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz

    Flicks Writer

    After the Waterfall is a local film continuing the tradition of exploring fears common to the New Zealand psyche – fear of losing a child, fear of the wilderness, and fear of one’s own emotional capacity.

    The opening sequence is a barbeque with friends and family, the camera snatching almost impressionistic glimpses of the action, immediately creating a soft, dreamlike vibe that lasts for the duration. The sound design adds so much with so little, capturing the region’s tranquility.

    As conveyed by the title, the film is not about the circumstances of a little girl’s disappearance, but what happens to her father as he deals with the aftermath. As this man, Antony Starr is a charismatic presence. His character seems caring but not overly so, as if reluctant to reveal himself. A closed-off world begins to open for him as he decides to lower his guard.

    It’s heavy stuff, and the route to redemption is a long slog, both for the characters and the audience. Unfortunately for the film’s final stretch, a couple of moments feel false, whether through awkward dialogue or inconsistent behaviour. The languid pacing, however, allows for the viewer to engage in the atmosphere and make their own observations about the characters and the fears they share.

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The people's reviews

10 reviews

  • It could have been so much better.........

     1

    Spendup

    Wannabe (?)

    Thank god for Anthony Star or this film would have been a waste of time, I thought he was very good amongst some very poor acting. The story was far too slow and there is no real ending, it just seems to stop. I agree with a number of reviewers, there were far scenes in the film that were either pointless, went nowhere or didn't contribute anything to the overall story.

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • grrrrrr about the ending

    Deb

    A-Lister (?)

    in fact grrr grrr grrr about the script. A terrific premise, great surroundings and good performances but why was I sitting there rewriting the thing as I watched?

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • Hauntingly beautiful

     3

    Lillian

    A-Lister (?)

    3.5/5
    Great backdrop, and characters.
    Really enjoyed it

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • Very Well Done!

     5

    BrionyJae

    Superstar (?)

    I went along to this movie not really expecting much, or knowing much about it - and boy was I pleasantly surprised! It is such an interesting delve into the mind of a man who has lost his daughter, and portrays the effects of this beautifully. The cinematic effects are very clever, with moments where all the sound is cut off and morphed into a mind-numbing buzz - which is exactly what grief can do to a person. Lovely scenic NZ shots too. Support the local film industry and see this! :)

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • 100 word review

     2

    100WordReviews

    Superstar (?)

    After the Waterfall is a movie about a dude (John, played by Anthony Starr) whose life slowly breaks apart after the disappearance of his daughter. Whether the daughter is alive or not is never the main aspect of the film. Instead, the focus is locked on the pain generated from faint hope and the dread of not knowing. Unfortunately, the message drags along at a very dull pace. The actors try their best to breath life to this seemingly bland movie but it never seems to stray past the mantra of a 45-minute TV episode stretched to 90 minutes.

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  • Dreary and disappointing

     1

    Sam

    Nobody (?)

    I agree that Anthony Starr is the only good thing in this film. Sally Stockwell is a good actor but her role didn't give her much to go with. An appalling piece of casting to cast who ever that guy was as the cop/friend (you find out they are best friends far too late for it to have any impact). His character is uninteresting and the actor seemed to have no facial expressions of any kind. On the whole a very disappointing film. The first act was strong (apart from the cop) but it just faltered after that. I yawned a few times checked my watch and was glad it ended when it did.

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  • Bland, just not very interesting

     2

    ashton

    Nobody (?)

    I didn't know anything about this director before seeing this film, and after it don't feel I know anything more. There is a predictable visual style- small depth of field, floaty camera thing that has become almost cliched now. The music was so-so, the performances apart from the lead not terribly interesting. I guess I'm not sure why the time and money was spent on this film, with this director. It's not badly made, just nothing new and nothing fresh.

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  • What a Star

     3

    Keesh

    Nobody (?)

    Anthony shows he can really really act and as everyone says holds this film together. Its the kind of film where you do a get a sense that you learn about how grief affects us mortals. Its a slow ride, sometimes with bits that lead nowhere, some patchy acting and script, but I'm still glad I saw it and hope we see more of Anthony on the big screen and Simone continues to hone her craft.

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • A Shame.

     2

    Mary

    Nobody (?)

    After sitting there watching what I thought was going to be a great movie, disappointed. Yes there was some great appearances, Anthony Star at his usual level of talent. I do feel he seemed somewhat constrained with the characters script, almost holding him back. There was also a few scenes that shouldn't have made it past the editing room. The story it self was there, yet it was almost flat. Because of the movies slow pace the storyline never really developed into much, the audience is left thinking, is there a point to all this. Could have been executed much better, a shame.

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • Well executed look at how the loss of a child affects a family

     3

    Chris

    Nobody (?)

    This very professionally executed film takes a very intimate look at how the loss of a child destroys a man's relationship, and the long process of healing that follows. The subject matter is not uplifting, and so the film is not for everyone, but it is a thoughtful and believable exploration of the situation with solid performances from the actors.

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Press Reviews

  • OnFilm

    There’s a European feel to the narrative that is just right for this film. The shooting style is tight and concentrated, the camera and musical score acting as quiet observers as the story carefully unfolds. The drama is captured in small, telling moments, not one of which is wasted. A lot is asked of the actors in After the Waterfall and they all more than deliver, particularly Antony Starr, whose bravura performance is the riveting focal point.
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