Middle-class thirty-something white woman has some sort of nervous breakdown, meets 16 year-old Polynesian gang member in psychiatric hospital, and they become lovers once they get out. Complications ensue. The other reviewer here is right about the unfair and misleading stereotypes of race and culture, but it's not only Maori who aren't accurately represented. Comparatively few Pakeha are stuck-up self-centered drama queens with bags of money and upper-class English accents. Liz is 'reduced' to working as a café waitress yet can still afford to rent an impressively spacious multi-level apartment. What's more, lover-boy 'Tug' actually treats her with far worse contempt than her husband did, yet we're supposed to side with her when she repeatedly takes him back. Oh, and one final criticism, talk about your double standards; how about a movie in which a middle-class thirty-something white male meets a 16 year-old Polynesian female in the psychiatric hospital and they became lovers. Anyone want to bankroll that one?
3 Reviews
better by half...
masonx22 April 2000
Low budget New Zealand film released 1984. Starring Lisa Harrow fresh from her lead role in the BBC series 'Nancy'. Based on NZ born author Sue MacAuleys' semi autobiographical best seller of the same name.
Synopsis:- Liz a middle class pakeha(european) housewife suffering from depression has a nervous breakdown and is admitted to a mental hospital. There she meets up with Tug, a polynesian teenager undergoing drug rehab. For some unknown reason she is attracted to him. The feeling is mutual and following discharge from hospital the two move in together despite their different backgrounds and misgivings from both their friends. Almost immediately there is a clash as the two find it increasingly difficult to fit into each others worlds. It is not an auspicious beginning. Do they have enough love & respect to overcome these differences.
Brave effort from the producers and directors at a time when the NZ film industry was struggling to make itself felt in the international scene. Pity they could not have found a more interesting and original opus to do it. Lisa Harrow is her usual professional self doing some of her best work in the hospital scenes. In stark contrast was Pilisi's wooden & amateurish performance as Tug, a role in which a nation wide search was made and where everyone should have looked harder. The theme is not an original one and despite Temuera Morrison's cameo as a gang member there are few redeeming features. Shame really for the efforts of all involved they deserved success but they just missed the boat on this one...
Synopsis:- Liz a middle class pakeha(european) housewife suffering from depression has a nervous breakdown and is admitted to a mental hospital. There she meets up with Tug, a polynesian teenager undergoing drug rehab. For some unknown reason she is attracted to him. The feeling is mutual and following discharge from hospital the two move in together despite their different backgrounds and misgivings from both their friends. Almost immediately there is a clash as the two find it increasingly difficult to fit into each others worlds. It is not an auspicious beginning. Do they have enough love & respect to overcome these differences.
Brave effort from the producers and directors at a time when the NZ film industry was struggling to make itself felt in the international scene. Pity they could not have found a more interesting and original opus to do it. Lisa Harrow is her usual professional self doing some of her best work in the hospital scenes. In stark contrast was Pilisi's wooden & amateurish performance as Tug, a role in which a nation wide search was made and where everyone should have looked harder. The theme is not an original one and despite Temuera Morrison's cameo as a gang member there are few redeeming features. Shame really for the efforts of all involved they deserved success but they just missed the boat on this one...
Other Halves
higdi98916 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I personally found Other Halves to be misleading on aspects on race and on culture through out the whole movie. Not every Maori person is like Tug and it seems a very poor example for New Zealand to put this movie out to start such stereotypes that started against Maori people.
Most Maori males do not go around abusing their partners, even though recently that can be seen in movies like Once were warriors etc. I do personally find it hard that these aspects were started from a persons point of view from another race, who doesn't have to live with the repercussions from this movie very day. Therefore, i think it would be a good idea to not take stereotypes from this movie if you a not from this particular race.
Most Maori males do not go around abusing their partners, even though recently that can be seen in movies like Once were warriors etc. I do personally find it hard that these aspects were started from a persons point of view from another race, who doesn't have to live with the repercussions from this movie very day. Therefore, i think it would be a good idea to not take stereotypes from this movie if you a not from this particular race.
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