A One Mann’s Movies review of “Pike River” (2025, 4.5*, 15).
One of the joys of visiting another country for me is to experience going to the cinema there. And on my recent trip to New Zealand I did just that, seeing this NZ-made film – “Pike River”. It seemed to be packing out its screenings. It remains one of those surprises, on a random mid-week night, coming up the side passage of a screen and turning the corner expecting to see 4 other people and being met with hundreds of faces looking at you looking at them!
And there was a reason so many people were seeing this film… it really was very good indeed.
One Mann’s Movies Rating:
Plot:
It’s 2010 at the Pike River mine north of Greymouth on the South Island of New Zealand. The workers go off to the mine just like any other day, but this is a day that is going to change everyone’s lives forever. Based on a true story.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: NR. (From the BBFC web site: “Very strong language”.)
Talent:
Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Robyn Malcolm, Erroll Shand, Madeleine McCarthy, Ben Porter, Jordan Mooney, Peter Tait, Elizabeth Hawthorne, Jeff Kingsford-Brown.
Directed by: Robert Sarkies.
Written by: Fiona Samuel.
Running Time: 2h 11m.
Summary:
Positives:
- A really gripping drama based on a true event from 2010.
- Focuses purely on the surface drama.
- Some great lead performances
- Clever use of archive material.
- Nice cameo.
Negatives:
- Some of the supporting acting is a bit dodgy.
Full Review of “Pike River”:
A mining disaster I hadn’t heard of.
Thinking back on the history of underground ‘incidents’, I can remember the Chilean miners trapped underground and also the rescue of the Thai caving youngsters from just a few years ago. Both of these have been made into films: Patricia Riggen’s 2015 film “The 33” and Ron Howards’ “Thirteen Lives” from 2022 respectively. But, for whatever reason, the Pilke River incident of 2010 passed me by. But, talking to the cinema manager after my showing in Blenheim, it was a big deal in New Zealand, with reverberations still going on to this date.
For those, like me, who were oblivious, I won’t go into further details. Since this is a film best-served cold.
A mining film without any underground.
I very much enjoyed last year’s Irish boxing movie “Swing Bout” which was a boxing movie without any boxing! Instead it focused on the drama behind scenes in the changing rooms. This film reminded me of that, since we never once actually go underground into the mine.
Instead we follow the reactions of the relatives of those affected, with a particular focus on two families led by the wives: Sonya (Robyn Malcolm) and Anna (Melanie Lynskey).
Strong leading performances.
Melanie Lynskey and Robyn Malcolm are both really terrific in the roles of Anna and Sonya respectively: both completely different characters.
Anna, reminding me strongly of the late Pauline Collins for some reason in a Shirley Valentine-ish sort of way. She is wilful, obsessive, headstrong and takes no BS from anyone. Politically naïve, this sometimes works against her. But Lynsky excels in managing to make the character seem alive and real.
Sonya is much more timid, camera-shy but loyal to her people. Drama is thrown into the mix with Sonya’s ex-husband being Neville Rockhouse (Jeff Kingsford-Brown), the Health and Safety manager of the mine. As such, even though Sonya is emotionally involved herself, the other grieving relatives take against her.
Both Lynskey and Malcolm vividly portray their initial grief but also the unlikely and warm friendship that grows between the pair. This actually ends up being quite an uplifting and feel-good film by the conclusion.
Supporting cast.
Elsewhere in the cast, it’s more of a curate’s egg.
Madeleine McCarthy, who plays Anna’s daughter Alisha Osborne, I thought was superb in the role reminding me of a young Jessie Buckley. (Although I should counter this observation with the Illustrious Mrs Movie Man’s comments that I always say that of ‘cute young actresses of a certain age’, because I’m obviously a proper perv! She may be right!) However, in my defence (or perhaps digging myself a deeper hole), I note that I also called out Ms McCarthy’s acting, in a positive way, from another New Zealand film from last year: the Guy Pierce historical epic “The Convert“. Hollywood should take an interest in this young lady.
Sadly, in too many of the other supporting roles, there is a certain amount of wooden-ness to the acting: a lacking of that ‘je ne sais quoi’ essence that separates “OK” actors from great actors that manifests itself in an ability to be quiet and still rather than to try to crowd an extra grimace in.
A surprising cameo.
For someone like me, ignorant of the true-life case, the story goes to some surprising legal and political places. This leads us into a REALLY cool cameo in the film reflecting events that actually happened.
Well-blended news footage.
There are many of these types of films that include news footage of the actual events, and/or of news anchors talking about them. A recent example was in “Roofman”. This film does the same, but I was impressed by how it was so expertly blended into the recreated footage.
The film also ends with some real-life footage of Anna and Sonya, performing some of the actual events recreated in the movie. Really nice.
Triggers.
Note that the film does contain a cancer theme that may be upsetting for some viewers.
Summary Thoughts:
I knew nothing about this film, which probably means it is only being shown in Australasia at the moment. But this is a really well-crafted film that should be getting a worldwide distribution. I note that it has recently received a BBFC certification which might be a sign that it is heading for a UK release at some point, but I can’t see a confirmed date. It appears to be handled in the UK by Signature Entertainment (now Capture Entertainment) so I will try to contact them for more information and post it here.
I actually got really close to this location during my travels across New Zealand…. I was only about 50 minutes drive away from the Pike River location as I pulled into Greymouth station in the pouring rain with the Illustrious Mrs Movie Man (pictured!).
Where to watch?
Trailer:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YOnuqAzTj4.
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