Eagle vs Shark (2007)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Taika Cohen

Writers:

Taika Cohen (story)
Taika Cohen (written by)

Release Date:

17 August 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Finding love was never so... Awkward.

Plot:

Eagle vs Shark is the tale of two socially awkward misfits and the strange ways they try to find love; through revenge on high-school bullies, burgers, and video games. |

Plot Keywords:

Small Town | Father Daughter Relationship | Beach | Homecoming | Hoop

Awards:

5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Loren Horsley	...	Lily
Jemaine Clement	...	Jarrod
Joel Tobeck	...	Damon
Brian Sergent	...	Jonah
Craig Hall	...	Doug Davis
Rachel House	...	Nancy
Morag Hills	...	Vinny
Bernard Stewart	...	Zane
Taika Cohen	...	Gordon (as Taika Waititi)
David Fane	...	Eric Elisi
Cohen Holloway	...	Mason
Gentiane Lupi	...	Tracy
Chelsie Preston-Crayford	...	Jenny (as Chelsie Preston Crayford)
Adam Gardiner	...	Tony
Jackie van Beek	...	Burger Staff

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexuality, and brief animated violence.

Runtime:

Germany:93 min (Berlin International Film Festival) | USA:88 min

Country:

New Zealand

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:M18 | UK:15 (theatrical) | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Australia:M | Finland:K-7

Filming Locations:

Cuba Mall, Wellington, New Zealand

Company:

New Zealand Film Commission

Trivia:

The script was workshopped at the exclusive Sundance Director's and Screenwriter's Labs.

Quotes:

Man on phone: D'you want to leave a message?
Jarrod: Tell him that justice is waiting for him.
Man on phone: OK Justin. Thank you. Bye bye.
[hangs up]
Jarrod: No, justice. Justice.

Movie Connections:

References Fable (2004) (VG)

Soundtrack:

I Love You, Awesome

Very cute!

I saw this movie last night for the AFI Dallas Film Festival. I bought the ticket for this one on a whim and boy am I glad I did. I was expecting something quirky silly as the only New Zealand/Australian films I'm really familiar with are Muriel's Wedding and Strictly Ballroom. What I saw was a very cute film about two geeky people trying to find happiness and meaning in their life through love.

It's very easy to be sympathetic towards Lilly, not only is she funny as an awkward person, but she's actually very sweet and quite beautiful when she stands mesmerized by her love interest, Jarrod. And I swear I think I knew Jarrod in High School! I mean, seriously. He looks and acts very similar to someone I went to school with. So much so, that nearly every time he opened his mouth I had to giggle.

The movie had similarities to Napoleon Dynamite in that it starred the same type of awkward social outcasts. But I enjoyed this movie more than ND simply because it focused more on the hope and happiness of Lilly than on angst and anger of Jarrod (who is very similar to the attitude of ND).