Whale Rider

Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes) is born into tragedy. Her mother and twin brother die in childbirth. Her father rejecting his father's plans leaves New Zealand to be an artist. Pai is raised by her strict traditionalist grandfather and more reasonable grandmother. Although initially disappointed with Pai's birth, her grandfather does come to love her but in a way begrudgingly. When Koro's hopes for his son to take over as chief of his tribe are finally dashed, his disappointment regarding Pai resurfaces. Pai who loves her grandfather and feels she is destined in some way to be an aid to her tribe again and again attempts to show him she is capable of being a leader. Koro, is too much of a traditionalist to see what his granddaughter offers since she is just a girl. This all leads to a tragedy of nature. The solution to which provides the necessary moment of realization.

This story as it stands and reads is pretty basic. A disapproving father figure attempting to maintain his culture in the wake of modernity has to be enlightened that changes in custom do not have to be the end of culture but may help preserve it. Its partly an underdog story and certainly an inspirational one for young women. But the sign of a good film is one that can take a generic narrative and make it work on a new level or make you happy you saw it. And Whale Rider is able to do that. Both because it has a unique blend of a native culture and spiritualism and because its story is sold convincingly by its cast.

The first to note is the wonderful Keisha Castle-Hughes as Pai. She has an inspiring blend of youthful innocence and stolid determination. She's tough in certain ways but also watch her early and her slight unease when in the company of the boys her age (people she has been made to think are automatically better than her because they are male by her grandfather). But she knows she can do anything they can do and proves it again and again despite her grandfather's disapproval. Rawiri Paratene is also well cast as Koro. He blends his duel concerns of family and tribe in a way that to us may seem cruel but clearly has been instilled in him since childhood.

The two together have a great amount of screen chemistry. Pai has reverence and love for her grandfather. She knows deep down he loves her but clearly is pained by his inability to see her potential. Koro is torn between his care for his family and his obligation to his tribe. His hopes were so pinned to having a grandson that he is forever tainted by a certain spite towards his granddaughter. This struggle between them and the characterization of their relationship more than guides this film to its conclusion.

In the end you are likely to be quite pleased when the credits of this film roll. Its uplifting in the most satisfying of ways. It also has a few scenes that may have you tearing up and they never feel cheap or manipulative but like a reflection of what these characters would do. If the ending is a bit too tightly wrapped up, you quickly let it pass because you've just watched something that made you smile and sometimes a movie needs to do that.