Holy Days

The feature debut from actor-turned-director Nat Boltt, Holy Days (based on the novel of the same name by Joy Cowley) centres around Brian (Elijah Tamati), a young boy still grieving the death of his mother and struggling to accept his father’s (Craig Hall) new fiancée (Boltt). He frequently visits three nuns (played by Jacki Weaver, Judy Davis, and Miriam Margolyes) with whom he’s formed a close relationship. But when he overhears that a land developer plans to evict the sisters, the boy and his elderly companions embark on a road trip across New Zealand to save their home from being demolished. Although their journey is filled with familiar clichés (including not one, but two dance numbers), Boltt and the cast put so much charm into the feature that it’s difficult not to smile along with the silliness that unfolds onscreen.

Tamati is wonderful as the young protagonist. His delightful energy is infectious, and watching him bounce off his co-stars is always a lot of fun. He also brings a substantial amount of emotional weight to the story. Despite the contrived nature of many of the plot beats, the actor still manages to sell his reactions. Weaver, Davis, and Margolyes are likewise fantastic. Each of the acting veterans embraces the feature’s light-hearted tone and is just as riveting onscreen as their younger counterparts. It’s the ensemble’s commitment to the feel-good atmosphere that makes the comedy mostly work. While there’s joy to be found in seeing Weaver bribe their way onto a ferry with fruitcake, the script tends to rely on the same jokes. Margolyes exclaiming that she “needs a piddle” is amusing the first time, but the humour is worn away by the third instance.

Despite the script’s adherence to convention, there’s a looseness to the plot that feels like it’s been made up as it goes along. Brian’s grief, alongside themes surrounding the country’s culture and history, are pushed to the background in favour of a genre-mandated car chase and fart jokes. When the film attempts a huge dramatic moment towards the end, it consequently feels entirely unearned and forced.

Holy Days doesn’t always work as intended. The plot is formulaic and lacks a meaningful payoff, and not all the jokes hit their mark. When the talented cast and uplifting tone do come together, though, Boltt’s debut is riotously good fun.