Like many of you, I saw this movie all over Tiktok. I didn’t go to school in South Auckland, but you can IMMEDIATELY see the tonal shift in representation without having even watched this. But guess what, I did watch it. And guess what again bro, so the fuck should you.
Inky Pinky Ponky is that shit. Meaning it’s easily one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time. The movie follows a teenage fakaleitī who is forced to fight through bigotry as she prepares for her first day at St Valentine’s High School – her third school transfer following years of bullying. Lisa tells the story through constantly breaking the fourth wall and slipping into dream sequences.
She meets Moses, Captain of the First XV, on her first day. It’s not an immediate love at first sight, sort of following a She’s All That storyline. It’s an obvious tell right? But no, there’s one major difference. This is a Kiwi flick so the story feels central and, most importantly, relatable aye. One of the scenes where all the characters are watching Moses and Lisa sitting together and he gives her a chicken burger because it’s “the most expensive thing at the tuck shop”. Chea, pretty on alright.
While the story is just heartwarming and impressive, let’s take a moment from the direction and cinematography. The crew and team, of which it’s difficult to find information about, created a visual masterpiece. Don’t come for me though, when you go into it thinking it’s going to Avatar level creation. It’s really not. But oftentimes when films are made locally, we face the issue of it looking cheaply made and not giving cinema. This doesn’t have that issue. It’s lit well, every shot is interesting, with a good amount of visual cues working with the dry humour.
One last point I want to make is the performance of Lisa’s Mum, Oscars my bro. Not only is she like all my Aunties but she’s one of the most effective writings of a polynesian mother I’ve seen on screen. It felt like a bit of a stereotype to start but then she settles into the role quickly, and becomes my favourite character. There’s a specific scene where she holds Lisa’s journal as she cries. It’s hella effective and I fucked with the energy she gave off as she starts to accept her daughter.
The thing about Inky Pinky Ponky that I really enjoy is just that its ending isn’t what you think it’s going to be. There’s a fake out with Lisa and Moses where you think, “Oh shit, they’re going to end up together” Psych bitch. It’s all about self-empowerment and breaking chains of generational trauma in polynesian households. An impressive feat made for a film that was uploaded in its entirety to youtube. In the end, you feel nothing but pride for Lisa as she reclaims her womanhood and becomes who she’s meant to be.
