The film is based on a play by Henrik Ibsen’s “The Wild Duck” is set in the last days of a dying logging town, Christian (Schneider) returns to his family home for his father Henry’s (Rush) wedding. Reconnecting with his childhood friend Oliver (Leslie) and Oliver’s family, wife Charlotte (Otto) and daughter Hedvig (Young), he unearths a long-buried secret. As he tries to right the wrongs of the past, his actions threaten to shatter the lives of those he left behind years before.

I find the movie very intense and dark but noticed the subtlety throughout the film. It may seem a little bit like a soap opera however the casting was outstanding that it all seemed so natural. Excellent performances by Rush and Young, but overall most of the actors and actresses contributed well in making this film successful.

The complicated subplots and great storytelling was pure brilliance! As well as the unexpected turn outs and the drama surrounding the conflicts between the relationships in the story was felt hard. Not to mention that Oliver and Christian’s relationship as childhood best friends will never be the same again. 

There is also that sense of maturity well taken by Stone as the screenplay writer and director of the movie, as he showed how this matters happen in real life and that it’s up to us how to handle these things no matter what. Firstly,the problem of having to lose a job that you depend on. Secondly, being neglected by your father. And lastly, betrayal and being cheated on.

I commend Simone Stone (writer/director) for taking on a challenge that was quite difficult to translate into a movie. The connection between all the characters ,their secrets and how it affected their relationships as a whole but still managed to maintain the natural flow the story despite the many conflicts is a mission. However greatly done and successfully executed!

In NZ cinemas now!