Culture

Rating: 3/5

White Lies is a film adaptation of Witi Ihimaera’s novel Medicine Woman, which tells the story of Paraiti (Whirimako Black), a Maori healer from the 1920s, and her strange involvement in the lives of the rich Pakeha woman Mrs. Vicars (Antonia Prebble) and her maid Maraea (Rachel House).

Nobody does shameful family secrets with sexual undertones quite like New Zealand and White Lies is no exception. I thought I had the plot all mapped out until halfway through, when a colossal twist is dropped, changing one’s opinion of the characters and the message of the film. But as funky as this made the story, I have to say the twist is rather implausible and there were also plot issues with character motivation – Paraiti’s explanation for helping Mrs. Vicars is foggy at best. Also, although I understand it was set in a time of racial inequality, I felt the often one-dimensional depiction of Pakeha made them seem like cartoon villains, and the opening scene of colonial murder was oddly garish.

However, this film is still worth a watch on a number of counts. For one, the debut acting performance from Black (usually a singer) was superb and she had an incredible presence on screen, whilst House was, as always, captivating. Prebble took her role as the cold Englishwoman a little too far in the film’s beginning – it seemed as though she was reading off a teleprompter – but she came into her own later on in the grittier scenes.

This film is brave with its use of nudity and Te Reo and tackles difficult issues head on, and I commend its attempt to remind New Zealanders of our difficult past. It’s also a visual feast with its bright 1920s township and lingering shots of forestry, and the often-sparse dialogue allows the scenery to shine. However, the film’s constant use of the black fade-out editing technique became frustrating, especially when it bookended unnecessary ten-second scenes. Although the film could be patchy, it was also quiet, thoughtful and raw which is something not easily found in today’s blockbuster avalanche.