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      The Strength of Water

      2009 1h 26m Drama List
      100% 5 Reviews Tomatometer 70% 100+ Ratings Audience Score A mysterious stranger's arrival in an isolated town forces Kimi and Melody apart and forces Kimi to let go of what he loves the most. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

      View All (12) audience reviews
      Audience Member Truth and honesty sets its scene in a beautiful New Zealand backdrop, Hokianga. A fragile story of family love brought to its knees, impacting the family as whole and a young boy who's a twin. His questions and reasoning can only be answered by himself and his belief his sister can save him. A simple yet haunting movie powered emotively by loss, grief and anger. The Strength of Water is my first recommendation. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Found this movie by accident. The location is where I was brought up and the story is great. Can easily relate to the film. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Audience Member I happened upon this film having never heard of it before. It tells the story of 10 year old twins (boy & girl) who live on a farm outside of a rural community on the coastline of New Zealand. When the sister dies unexpectedly the brother is faced with a reality he can't possibly comprehend and so he pretends it never happened. The sister's apparition follows him everywhere and as the film progresses the boy must bring himself to let her go. Its a beautiful film that's both tragic and magical. It's haunting premise and wintery setting remind me of Vincent Ward's film Vigil and the two movies are very similar. Hopefully people will hear about this film and see it. Very good. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member just beautiful, emotional piece. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Drags along with a storyline, which doesnt promise much Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Kimi and Melody are 10 year old twins living with their parents and several siblings on a farm on the Hokianga coast. They deliver eggs around the district - and favour a hen they've named Aroha. The arrival of Tai, a teenage drifter looking to move into the local tapu house that belonged to his grandfather, is followed by a terrible accident. Kimi must learn to live apart from Melody, and Tai must learn to deal with the hostility of those in the small community who equate him with the cursed house. There's also Tirea, a teenage girl who finds fragile understanding with the outcast Tai. Why strength of water? The film starts and ends with jellyfish. Loss and renewel, sadness and hope flow through the film. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Strength of Water

      The Strength of Water (2009) The Strength of Water (2009) The Strength of Water (2009) The Strength of Water (2009) The Strength of Water (2009) The Strength of Water (2009) View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (5) Critics Reviews
      Jake Wilson The Age (Australia) There are more ambitious films around at the moment than The Strength of Water, but it would be a shame if this small gem were forgotten in the Christmas rush. Rated: 3/5 Dec 2, 2009 Full Review Kate Rodger Newshub (NZ) It's a story of childhood, family, love, and loss, and if you're in the right mood, is a worthy watch. Rated: 3.5/5 Aug 23, 2019 Full Review Leigh Paatsch Herald Sun (Australia) Acting, cinematography and a beautiful array of stunning open-air locations are all worth the price of admission. Rated: 3.5/5 Dec 9, 2009 Full Review Craig Mathieson sbs.com.au Ballantyne is more interested in examining the Maori community's everyday lives, and how they sit in relation to their traditions, than in making political observations. The key notes here are universal, most notably the half-life of grief. Rated: 3/5 Dec 2, 2009 Full Review Louise Keller Urban Cinefile With its unique Maori backdrop, this moody drama about life, death and coming to terms with both is punctuated by a well devised fantasy element. Nov 28, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis A mysterious stranger's arrival in an isolated town forces Kimi and Melody apart and forces Kimi to let go of what he loves the most.
      Director
      Armagan Ballantyne
      Producer
      Richard Fletcher
      Screenwriter
      Briar Grace Smith
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Runtime
      1h 26m