Sione's Wedding

Stanley (Iaheto Ah Hi) and Albert (Oscar Kightley), centre, wearing the leis, are a couple of mates who go to weddings for a great time.

Herald rating: * * * * *

From time to time I'm taken to task by people who wonder about the star rating I've given a film but who, when I ask them, admit they didn't read the review.

They may be misled by this film's rating into thinking the newest local film is an unalloyed masterpiece.

That it is not.

There are creaky moments and the detail of the main plot device is somewhat swept under the carpet at the film's end.

But the whole enterprise is so infectiously energetic, so drenched in joy and so bloody funny that to give it less than a top rating would be churlish.

It is, whatever its shortcomings, impossible to imagine it being done better.

Coming on the back of No 2, it also represents a very pleasing assertion of New Zealand-based Pasifika film culture.

The movie, although co-written by James Griffin, is the latest piece of comic mayhem to emerge from the brains of the Naked Samoans (to my regret, I've never seen them live, although who isn't a big fan of bro'Town?). Here, three of their members (Kightley, Lelisi and Fane) are joined by Magasiva and Ah Hi to create an ensemble of endearing archetypes whose adventures are irresistibly entertaining.

Four of them are best mates who are all 30 going on 15. One-time breakdancing heroes the Duckrockers, they have established a reputation as benign but heavy-duty troublemakers at weddings and other celebrations.

Called to account before the local minister (a deliciously solemn Lees), they are offered an ultimatum: to settle down with girlfriends or be barred from the wedding of the title.

Their struggle to find girlfriends is a foundation on which are erected more than a dozen comic episodes - the film feels in the end like a series of sketches on a single theme, but that's no bad thing - which are full of charmingly self-deprecating wit.

My favourite moment is when one of the lads thinks an attractive shop assistant is giving him the eye, and his mate says, "It's because she thinks you're shoplifting."

There's scarcely a subtle moment in a film that is never more than meets the eye, but only those with a permanent sense-of-humour bypass will not be amused.

In essence, the film is a four-hander with supporting cast (a notable pleasure is Van Horn's geeky, try-hard homeboy), but what a quartet - the Naked Samoans are already a small national treasure, a rambunctious assertion of our multicultural society.

It's hard to imagine they could make another film different from this one, but I won't be surprised if they prove that wrong.

Fa'afetai, fellas. I had a great time.

CAST: Oscar Kightley, Shimpal Lelisi, Robbie Magasiva, Iaheto Ah Hi, Dave Fane, Teuila Blakely, Pua Magasiva, Madeleine Sami, Maryjane McKibbin-Schwenke, David Van Horn, Nathaniel Lees
DIRECTOR: Chris Graham
RUNNING TIME: 97 minutes
RATING: M, contains offensive language and sexual references
SCREENING: Everywhere from Thursday