Better than I expected. Particularly from a sporting movie. There’s a whimsy to this film that’s been lacking from Waikiki’s films of late. The Polynesian humour comes through strong. A refreshing change from the saturation of Hollywood and UK content.

Being unfamiliar with the story the film’s based on, I was surprised to find one of the central characters, Jaiyah, was trans. I don’t think the representation did a great job of getting into the trans experience (it was a tad superficial at times). Nevertheless, representation is always a work in progress; Kaimana’s performance was heartfelt and earnest, much like the film itself.

An unusually affecting drama. Great performances from all and a memorable soundtrack.

Dir. Xavier Dolan harnesses the softer edges of his lead characters’ sexualities to tell a gripping story of unrequited love. Thematically and visually, it’s a film about restraint and tension. From the film’s small domestic spaces to the motif of vertical letterbox framing, there’s something inevitable yet claustrophobic about the film’s central relationship. 

Contrary to the dazzling displays of his earlier work, Dolan appears more interested in exploring ambiguity. After all, being queer is rarely black and white.

'The Happy Sad' feels like a cross between a softcore porno and a Hallmark film. What seem like organic performances from its leads don't amount to much with their shallow characterisation - show me the meat!

Prepare to be bludgeoned over the head by a metaphor so painfully overstated that a concussion would be preferable than listening to this films' obnoxious characters talk about their "cracked" relationship problems.