Diagonaldi Very well executed

Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

tahitiblkpearl I've seen hundreds of movies, I'm in the "biz". This is my absolute favorite, hands down, best movie of all times. gut wrenching, realistic and powerful. From the first scene to the last, it grabbed me by the throat and would not let go. Rena Owens is my favorite actress in the world. There is no line between her and her character. I felt like I was watching her personal family drama. A visceral peak into the lives of a minority group that we don't often see/hear about. But we should! Why don't we? \When she confronts Jake, this is an Academy Award performance! Too bad we don't see more of her. I would hire her in a heartbeat.

gavin6942 A family descended from Maori warriors is bedeviled by a violent father and the societal problems of being treated as outcasts.There is always a story to be told about the natives versus the colonialists. Americans can tell the story of the Native Americans (or Indians), Australians have the aborigines, and as we see here the New Zealanders have the Maori people. This is a story that can be told in either an archetypal way or more specifically. (This film does a bit of both.) But we also have internal conflict. This is not just us versus them, but also us versus us. And then you have an even worse situation. When the minority is against the minority, who do you turn to? By turning to the majority, you run the risk of only bringing shame on your own people.

imvenomous01 One of the most powerful movies i have ever seen, and like what another user wrote on here its a movie that will stick with you long after you watch it, the story the acting the camera work are first class, if this movie was a Hollywood type big budget movie it would in my opinion win an Oscar or at least be nominated, it is that good and that's a pretty big statement to make but once you watch this movie you will somewhat agree with me, iv never watched a movie that has played with so many of my emotions and i'm a grown bloke that doesn't get emotional very often, and believe me i got choked a few times in this movie, like it says on the front cover its explosive but in a very good way, the acting is very believable and what a performance from temuera morrison, if you watch this movie you have to see the follow up movie of (WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED),these two movie's combined are definitely in my top ten movie dramas. "A MUST SEE MOVIE" 10/10

bhwpolo93 This controversial movie is about a young girl who is trying to make the best of her situation at home, but at the end fails to be happy due to the environment around her. It surprised me when the dad seemed to be a nice guy in the beginning then as soon as he touched alcohol, he turned in a raging bull. It sickened me to see the horrid realities that was happening around this family. The drinking, daily beatings, sexual harassments, all of which happened around the atmosphere of the children. Jake's incontrollable temper leads him to live a life tormenting his family. What i didn't understand was if he was making their lives so horrible why not leave that much sooner? Did the death of Grace have to be the push she needed to know that the environment the children were living in was not safe? Overall this movie moved me and kept me at the edge of my seat especially when sweet Grace turned sour, with all reasons deserved, on her family.