THE Y!X REVIEW: THE INSATIABLE MOON

By Amy Williams

October 7th, 2010, 3:04 pm

What if that scruffy, slightly whiffy guy you pass on the street every day was actually someone special?

Based on a novel by Mike Riddell and directed by his wife Rosemary, ‘The Insatiable Moon’ tells the story of Arthur, the self-proclaimed second son of God.

Arthur (Rawiri Paratene) lives in a Ponsonby boarding house, along with a rag-tag bunch of other societal outcasts and the irascible but devoted proprietor, Bob (Greg Johnson).

He’s happy in his daily duties, which involve keeping an eye on his community on God’s behalf, and regularly visiting local clergymen to explain with unnerving candour that he’s Jesus’ little brother.

One day he encounters community worker Margaret (Sara Wiseman), and is instantly sure he’s found his soulmate, the Queen of Heaven. When they meet again at the funeral of one of the boarding-house dwellers, his persistence and charm pay off and she is drawn into a relationship with him.

Arthur’s devastating honesty and his way of making small miracles happen entrance those around him. But when the boarding house is threatened by a ruthless property company and Arthur’s powers fail him, his world begins to disintegrate. Even in the face of tragedy, though, it seems Arthur is still working his magic…

This film, much like its main character, is a diamond in the rough: a real Kiwi gem. The cinematography is evidence of its shoestring budget (the makers adhered to the principles of ‘frugal filmmaking’); yet the style suits the tone of the film.

Locals will thrill at the sight of their treasured everyday surroundings and some quirky personalities (like a certain well-known window-washer) on the big screen. The suburb of Ponsonby is treated with reverent familiarity, to the extent that it becomes one of the characters.

The film also boasts a stellar cast of some of New Zealand’s best acting talent. Rawiri Paratene discovered the novel at the same time and insisted that the part of Arthur be his – his portrayal of a pure and simple heart tortured by illness is amazingly touching. Sara Wiseman gives a sensitive performance as Margaret, the bleeding-heart social worker trapped in a failing marriage. And the great Ian Mune as a curmudgeonly, alcoholic homeless man.

The nature of mental illness and the way it is perceived and judged by our NIMBYist society is of course one of the ongoing themes. At one point Arthur states simply, “Mad’s only what we can’t make sense of”. But this isn’t an over-intellectualised, heavy film; it’s riddled with moments of ribald and often un-PC humour.

This is a movie with heart. Go see it instead of one of the usual soulless blockbusters at your multiplex.

4/5