Daffodils
(2019)A love story unlike any you've heard before.
New Zealand musical romance inspired by a true story and adapted from a stage show, featuring reworkings of classic Kiwi songs from the likes of Crowded House, Bic Runga, Dave Dobbyn, Darcy Clay and the Mint Chicks. Starring Rose McIver, George Mason and Kimbra, and from the award-winning director of Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses.... More
Leaving her dying father’s bedside, singer Maisie (Kimbra) rushes to perform at an indie music gig in town. But as she sings the opening song, it’s hard for her to ignore the heartfelt story she’s just been told – the story of how her dad met and fell in love with her mother, and how it all devastatingly fell apart. As the night goes on, we see the love story of Eric (Mason) and Rose (McIver) through Maisie's eyes. From the time they meet in Hamilton in 1966 to their separation in the 1980s, we follow the bittersweet nuances of a couple’s life, expressed with contemporary re-imaginings of iconic New Zealand hit songs.Hide
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Directed by David Stubbs ('Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses')
Starring Rose McIver, George Mason, Kimbra, Mark Mitchinson, Tandi Wright, Jodie Hillock, Danni Parsons, Katie Wolfe
Written by Rochelle Bright
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Daffodils
BY wobbit superstar
The music and cinematography were excellent. The script was poignant.
I think it showed the times, when men were men and held it all in..
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The Press Reviews
Don't go expecting the bombast and aural assault of Rhapsody or Showman, but be prepared to have your heartstrings pulled and songs to get stuck in your head. Full Review
Musicals aren't my thing, but I left this celebration of our music and Kiwi-ness with a smile; it's a delightful romp through the decades and it's easy to get caught up in this bittersweet love story. Full Review
BY Tony Stamp Flicks Writer
Let’s start with the good stuff: Daffodils, based on the play by Rochelle Bright, is a movie that could only have come out of New Zealand. Its Hamilton setting feels distinct, and its playlist is expertly curated. This is a musical, you see, and it features some of our best songs, a series of iconic hits which I’m always happy to see/hear acknowledged (though a few more Māori/Pasifika-tinged numbers wouldn’t have gone astray).... More
The framing device has pop singer Kimbra in the present day, telling us the story of her parents’ relationship. Her character sings in a covers band, performing songs which seep into the 1960s/70s/80s flashbacks that make up the bulk of the film.
It’s anachronism all the way: Bic Runga’s ‘Drive’ pops up early on, as does The Mint Chicks’ ‘Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No!’. ‘There Is No Depression In New Zealand’ heralds the arrival of the '80s—around the time it would have been on NZ radio—then segues into Darcy Clay’s ‘Jesus I Was Evil’, which wasn’t released until much later. The idea is to have the songs narrate the characters’ inner lives, but this is where Daffodils runs into trouble.
Rose McIver handles the Darcy song, but… WAS she evil? Not really. These characters and the story they’re part of feel at the mercy of the songs, which are often inserted in ways that don’t make total sense.
Which leads to Daffodils' biggest flaw: the central plot contrivance is sitcom-level dumb, and could be solved with a five minute conversation. It’s frustrating, and while it quite possibly did happen (the play was based on Bright’s parents’ relationship), within the logic of a movie it seems woefully contrived, more an excuse to pop in a Dave Dobbyn song than a series of explainable events.
McIver and co-lead George Mason acquit themselves admirably in the singing and acting departments, but in the end, it all rings hollow, no matter how much director David Stubbs juices up the melodrama. You’ll feel multiple waves of nostalgia during Daffodils, but on reflection, you might feel a bit cheated.Hide
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