We Were Dangerous

Play trailer

1:29

We Were Dangerous

2025

1h 23m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

36 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Set in 1954 New Zealand, We Were Dangerous follows Nellie and Daisy, two delinquent girls attempting to escape their institution. After being caught, they are transferred to a remote island facility. There, they form a trio with Lou, a well-to-do newcomer, and together they challenge the authority of the strict Matron. As they rebel against a system, they find strength in their friendship, questioning faith and authority in a world that seeks to control them.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Jul 10

Lovely performances by the actresses make We Were Dangerous an engaging proposition despite its thunderous musical cues and shifting perspective.

Go to Full Review

Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

04/09/2025

These extraordinary young actresses, every single one of them... It's a beautiful film.

Go to Full Review

David Ehrlich

IndieWire

03/09/2024

B-

It’s a hopeful — sometimes borderline exuberant — rallying cry for girls to stick together across the various divides that people use to disempower them.

Go to Full Review

Olivia Popp

Purple Hour

Nov 18

We Were Dangerous is still a joyous ride, even if one ends up a bit unsure of its approach by the end.

Go to Full Review

Paul Emmanuel Enicola

The Movie Buff

Jul 18

B-

A dreamlike portrait of confinement and girlhood, framed by an aching desire for escape.

Go to Full Review

Emma Vine

Loud and Clear Reviews

Jul 10

3.5/5

Amidst inhumane conditions at an isolated reform school in 1950s New Zealand, We Were Dangerous demonstrates women’s empowerment and the beauty of friendship.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

spoko s

@spoko Jan 7

There’s a fluidity to the friendships that really works. The bond between the girls never feels rushed or overly dramatized—it’s allowed to build, shift, settle, and evolve. So when their loyalty is finally tested, the tension actually lands. The coldness and casual cruelty of the institution, on the other hand, is immediate and fairly relentless. From the beginning, it’s obvious that the story is headed toward a single oppositional act, which creates an anticipatory thrum as it goes on. Obviously, New Zealand's historical and cultural context—as well as the typical view of girls during that time—add real weight, grounding the story in something much bigger than just personal survival or coming-of-age angst.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu

Director

Erana James

Nellie

Nathalie Morris

Lou

Rima Te Wiata

The Matron

Manaia Hall

Daisy

Maddie Dai

Screenwriter

Little Women

95%

92%

Little Women

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Little Women

Scuba

%

%

Scuba

Watchlist

Aattam

100%

96%

Aattam

Watchlist

Sing Sing

97%

98%

Sing Sing

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Sing Sing

Oceans Are The Real Continents

100%

%

Oceans Are The Real Continents

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Oceans Are The Real Continents

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

We Were Dangerous: Trailer 1

1:29

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Set in 1954 New Zealand, We Were Dangerous follows Nellie and Daisy, two delinquent girls attempting to escape their institution. After being caught, they are transferred to a remote island facility. There, they form a trio with Lou, a well-to-do newcomer, and together they challenge the authority of the strict Matron. As they rebel against a system, they find strength in their friendship, questioning faith and authority in a world that seeks to control them.

Director: Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu
Producer: Morgan Waru, Polly Fryer
Screenwriter: Maddie Dai
Distributor: The Forge
Production Co: Piki Films, Fit Via Vi Film Productions
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 23m