No. 2

Aroview: Playwright Toa Fraser adapts his acclaimed stage play about a hard-bitten matriarch determined to bring her grandchildren together for a traditional Fijian feast in homey Mt Roskill, Auckland.

A notable addition to the growing canon of South Pacific cinema, its big-hearted portrayal of a common ethnic experience in suburbia is sure to connect strongly for some. But the inherent comedy and drama in such extended family dynamics are surprisingly muted, and we are left instead to bask in the radiant cinematography and charisma of the cast, headed by American veteran, Ruby Dee.