Every kid dreams of flying. The next best thing must be whizzing down a steep slope in a contraption of your own making. For the young actors in Tony Simpson’s Kiwi Flyer, the first local film for kids since The Silent One 27 years ago, the chance to do just that in a screen version of Nelson’s yearly Trolley Derby must have been an unforgettable experience. More
Viewers will no doubt get warm fuzzies too – this is a feel-good family flick featuring all the hallmarks of the genre. Unless you count a couple of hairy moments the kids endure on the open road, Simpson and co-writer Andrew Gunn’s script plays it safe, combining drama with broad comedy and slapstick, flying poo included.
Twelve-year-old Ben (Edward Hall) is up against a legion of baddies who feel pretty familiar: the smug Aussie cheats, their smug Aussie dad (a dastardly comic Vince Martin in a role parents will enjoy as much as the kids), the dodgy loan sharks who help get Ben’s venture off the ground, and a mum who isn’t keen on the idea of him entering the derby at all (Tandi Wright in a warm and nuanced performance). Dai Henwood also shows he’s capable of stepping outside his comfort zone as the kids’ kind, geeky teacher, himself an underdog in the romance department.
As you’d expect, obstacles arise at the worst possible moments, hopes are dashed and relationships tested. And like all decent family flicks, deeper messages are at play about the value of friendship, determination and choosing right over wrong.
It doesn’t always matter that the less experienced members of the cast, many of them new faces from Nelson, aren’t consistently slick, or that there are more silly, whoopsie-daisy moments than an episode of Mr Bean. Kiwi Flyer makes up for that with its big climactic race scene, big heart and big sense of adventure. Hide
Yeah, Nelson represent!!!
This looks like a great movie for the whole family
no way.
Is that the guy from the Beaurepaires add?
Yea that's the dude from Beaurepaires, This movie looks cool :B
Terrible acting! The plot is from an old Simpsons ep
It's a great little movie made in Nelson. The acting is actually superb.
Ahhhh... Rialto... The leads were actually the kids...
Heaps of people had commented but the comments have been taken down lol
Oh no they haven't! There they are! Choice! Hey I love this trailer! It makes me want to watch it now!
Can't wait to see it. Looks orsome in the trailer!
im in this movie!! :D
it'll make more money than the dumb Two Little Boys I reckon
Looks like old teevee show...p** poor acting kiwis dont talk like that!
awesome , kids will love it...looks like just a good fun romp. Good stuff.
the class room used in this is thing is room 14 of nis school nelson new zealand they are awesomely awesome come join us!!!!! awesome
Yes Vince Martin does the Beaurepaires add. Just been to the premiere. Great little movie!!!
Ask yourself, if this trailer is the best 2 minutes of the movie...
sorry, but I'm cringing all the way to Bondi
To all the knockers: get a life & go make a better movie. This is a gr8 little Kiwi family movie- Go see it!
Great fun. Will take the grandkids to the tip sometime and get some bike bits.
Looking for a movie to take the kids to....saw the poster and thought "thats bloody Collingwood St in Nelson".....Being an ex pat l
Looking forward to seeing nelson in a movie
Kiwi comedy is awesome! :)
Was cool having it fiilmed in sunny Nelson! =]