This Way Of Life: DVD Review
This Way Of Life
Rating: PG
Released by Vendetta Films
A New Zealand doco about a family who live life to the full in the
wilds of the countryside, This Way of Life is the story of the
Karena family - husband Peter and wife Colleen and their six
children, and their horses.
But it's also about more than that - it's about a simplicity of
life and a recognition of one's place in the world.
Peter works as a horse whisperer and lives off the land - when we
first meet him, he's skinning a deer in front of his son Malachi
and educating him on how the animal died so they can live.
Although Peter appears to have a philosophy about the world, it's
clear not everyone shares his views - within moments of meeting
them, we learn that Peter's father is evicting them from the family
home because he's selling up. Things get worse for the ever growing
Karena family - but over the course of 85 minutes you won't find
your spirit crushed at all.
In fact it's just the opposite.
Simply shot and presented in a restrained way, This Way Of Life
will win you over and may make you think about moving on and
abandoning the rat race.
This Way Of Life is a celebration of the family codes and morals;
beautifully shot, it shows what's great about the New Zealand
countryside and showcases a side of life - and an attitude - which
makes your heart sing.
While some of the story's narrative leaves you wanting more
information and you may get a little frustrated with a lack of
context over family rows, overall it's easy to see why the film has
been so lauded.
Extras: Massively disappointing this only includes
trailers for other releases - surely a follow up interview with the
family or something else would have helped? A major missed
opportunity.
Rating: 7/10
