简介：Idon'tknowwheretostart.WhenI'maskedofmyfavoritemovieever,thisisALWAYSthefirsttocometomind.ThisisoneofthefinestmoviesI'veeverseen,andI'veseentoomanytocount. OnceWereWarriorsis,atitsmoststripped,aboutawomannamedBethandherstruggletojustdowhat'sbestforherfamily.SheisofMaoriheritage,NewZealand'ssortofNativeAmericans.Cultureisaproudandpowerfulaspectofthemovie,asBeth'sstrengthslieinherdevotiontoherfamilyandherheritage.Butthatislittlecomfort,asherdaughterisstrugglingtoacceptadulthood,heryoungestsonisheadingtowardsjuveniledetention,andheroldestsonisfastonhiswaytojoiningabrutalgang.Worstofall,herhusbandJakeisaheavydrinker. Thefilmexcelsatpaintingeverybodyinfull3dimensions.Eachofherkidsaretroubled,buttheyallhavefierceloveandrespectfortheirmother.Thegangiscrueltotheoldestson,butatthesametimeembraceshim.Thejuveniledetentioncenterseparatestheyoungestsonfromhisonlyhome,butinstillsinhimaprideinhisancestry.AndJakehimselfisabeast,amanbuiltlikeatankwhowilldestroyyouwithanythingavailableshouldyouspillhisbeer...butsomehowhealsocomesacrossaslovingBeth.Sometimes. ThefilmfollowsBethasshedoesherbesttoholdthefamilytogetherevenwhilethevariousproblemstearthemapart.AtthecenterisJake'sdrinkingandfurthercarelessnessofhisfamily'sdissipation.WhileBeth'sansweristonurtureandaidherchildren,Jakeinsistsit'sbesttodrinkawaytheproblemsandquitbeingso"soft"onthekids.Andwewatch,throughitall,asthefamilyspiralsfurtherapart.Neartheend,afterseeingbothhappyandhorriblethingshappentoeachofthecharacters,wearejarredbyaterribletragedy.BethandJakebothdealwithituniquely,asshedrawsonceagainonthetremendouspoweroffamilyandhumanspirit,whileJakedealswithithisownway.Thelast15minutesofthefilmkeepusinsuspenseaswewonderwhetheracertainhorribleinjusticewillbeconfronted,andifso,how.Thisscenarioinvolvesandencapsulateseveryoneinthefamily,andwhotheyareinside. Thelastfewmomentsofthemoviemademewanttojumptomyfeetandapplaud.Iwon'trevealwhathappens,butinthelast5minutes,everypersonshowssomuchinnerstrengththatIglowwithadmirationfortheiractions.EspeciallythoseofBethandheroldestson,whoseinteractionwithJakeresultsinmyfavoritesceneinthemovie.Butdon'tthinkyouknowwhat'sgoingtohappenbasedonthisdescription-it'sacomplicatedscenario.Ifeltsatisfiedwiththeconclusiononallfronts,andthoughtthateachcharactershowedexactlywheretheirstrengthlies. Beforewarnedthatthismovieisveryheartbreaking.Itsoveralltoneisoneoffutility,ofbetterlivesnotreceived,ofwantingthebestbutneverquitegettingit.Itisveryrawandintenseinitsportrayalofphysicalanddomesticviolence,andtheeasilyupsetmayhaveahardtimewaitingtoseeifitendshappilyenoughfortheirtastes.Butnomatterwhatyouropinionis,itwilldefinitelybeafilmthatstayswithyouforalong,longtime.Myhighestrecommendation.…