Oddities of love
THE MAP READER (M) Directed by Harold Brodie * * *
James Croot - The Press | Monday, 09 February 2009

Endearing: Binnie Soper as Mary Parkes.

Sixteen year-old Michael (Jordan Selwyn) is crazy about cartography.

"I can go anywhere with a map. Do anything if I know something about a place." he says.

Pouring over topographies also allows him to escape into his own world away from the ramblings of his alcoholic solo-mum Amelia (Rebecca Gibney) and the peer pressure of his puerile mates.

Their latest scheme involves spying on older blind girl Mary Parkes (Bonnie Soper) while she showers.

While a reluctant participant, Michael performs a vital role - they are his binoculars.

It also offers him a chance to hang out with mysterious schoolmate Alison (Mikaila Hutchinson) who tags along to provide a healthy dose of cynicism but appears to be masking her own familial problems.

But just when Michael and Alison appear to be hitting it off, Amelia announces she's invited an old friend and her daughter around for dinner.

To Michael's horror, the daughter is Mary and she seems to think he sounds awfully familiar.

A labour of love for American-born director Harold Brodie for the past 12 years, The Map Reader is a charming, quirky coming-of-age story.

As writer, director and editor, Brodie's languid, understated style is both a blessing and a curse for this low-budget features as it allows the actors to shine even if the overall story occasionally loses its way.

A mix of Eagle versus Shark (with its offbeat romance) and Gregory's Girl, the film works best when focusing on supporting characters Mary and Alison.

That's mainly down to strong performances by both the vivacious Soper (Shortland Street) and feisty Hutchinson (River Queen).

The adult characters are less compelling with talents like Gibney (TV's The Flying Doctors) and Michael Hurst (TV's Hercules) set adrift in cliched and blink- and-you'll-miss-them roles.

Mood music is amiably provided by local legend Paul Ubana Jones who adds to the eclectic nature of the film.

This joins The Last Magic Show, Eagle vs Shark and Show of Hands as a solid entry in New Zealand's burgeoning noughties genre of romantic oddities.