No. 2 (2006) - At The Movies Review

No. 2

NUMBER 2 is the story of Nana Maria, (RUBY DEE), who awakens one morning in her home in suburban Wellington after dreaming about her childhood in Fiji.

She decides that a family feast must be organised at which she'll name her successor as head of the family.

She wants a roasted pig, seafood, red wine, all the trimmings. And she doesn't want her children, only her grandchildren - and no outsiders.

As the day wears on she drops most of her demands. The partners of her grandchildren are permitted to attend, including the Danish girlfriend, Tuba Novotny, of her apparent favourite, Tyson, (XAVIER HORAN).

This feel-good movie is based on a play by writer-director Toa Fraser, and it's intriguing to learn that the play was a one-woman show.

The film teems with characters, so you have to hand it to Fraser for making it over completely for the cinema.

That said, nothing in NO. 2 is all that original; the characters are pretty familiar ones, and the squabbles, reconciliations, revelations and surprises follow one other quite predictably.

You can enjoy the performances, which for the most part are very appealing especially that of American Ruby Dee who dominates the film as the irascible matriarch who wants things done her way.

I was fascinated to see that cutting down trees on a suburban property without getting permission is something that seems to raise no eyebrows whatsoever - they're obviously more relaxed about such things in New Zealand.

It's a rather sweet film, but an unremarkable one.

DAVID: Margaret.

MARGARET: Well, except that there is a different texture.

DAVID: Yes, that's true.

MARGARET: That's what I enjoyed about it, the fact that we're seeing a number of Polynesian films from New Zealand.

DAVID: Yes.

MARGARET: We had SIONE'S WEDDING, and now this one. I actually enjoy going into that world, where I think the situation's made. We're all human beings, but it's that texture of different family relationships and a different way of talking English, different rhythms that I find enriches a film in a really nice way for me.

DAVID: I know what you mean.

MARGARET: I loved her performance.

DAVID: Yes, she's good. She's very good.

MARGARET: And I didn't even mind the trees, to tell you the truth.

DAVID: Really? I was quite shocked by the trees.

MARGARET: You're little council fiend, aren't you?

DAVID: Not really. I'm just sort of amazed.