A new documentary about the man with the golden voice poses as many questions as it answers.
To anyone who has followed local music closely for the past decade, Marlon Williams is a man who needs no introduction. He’s the guy with the golden tenor, the lofty, gawky, camera-ready charm, the ineffable charisma, and the country-leaning music matched to distinctive songwriting.
But when it comes to this feature-length documentary – a film that merges career-so-far survey, on-tour hangout and recording of his terrific new te reo Māori album Te Whare Tīwekaweka – the need for no introduction becomes a crutch for not enough explanation.
Debut feature director Ursula Grace Willams (no relation) certainly covered a lot of ground in her four-year period of filming. The doco zigzags from her subject’s childhood bedroom in Lyttelton to dressing rooms in London, to clubs and theatres in Los Angeles and Melbourne, to a visit accompanied by his mostly silent father David to his Ngāi Tai marae near Ōpōtiki, to a hall near Haast as the unexplained but scenic venue for the new album’s recording.
But while making for an enjoyable ride, the time spent and miles covered don’t combine to give Ngā Ao E Rua any great depth.
It certainly gives nearly all its screen time to its star, who narrates thoughtfully throughout.
But having a subject who is such a natural in front of the camera makes for a slight problem. Basking in the bright glow of his charisma seems to have meant not a lot else was needed. It’s a film sustained by capturing Williams in his natural elements but just isn’t very curious about him. There’s not much wider context – from choir boy to weird country music? Why? Nor does it show us much that isn’t already common fanclub knowledge.
Among the possible resulting mysteries to non-members will be the significance and identity of Aldous Harding, who appears as a duet partner in some early domestic Lyttelton/Diamond Harbour scenes. Or the importance of the very briefly mentioned Delaney Davidson to Williams’ early career. Or just what strange poultry it is that arrived in a bucket for his artist mother Jenny Rendall (Kāi Tahu) and Williams to cook in a scene designed to match the earlier father-son excursions up north – that’ll be tītī, or muttonbird.
Williams does reflect thoughtfully about his parents’ split when he was young, and how being an only child brought out the performer in him. One wanting to collect substitute brothers and sisters along the way, like the members of his backing band the Yarra Benders, whose musicianship and humour make them a valuable supporting cast.
Funnily, Williams isn’t actually the biggest star in his own movie. The early London excursion is from a Lorde support slot, where he joins her on stage to sing a te reo Māori version of her Stoned at the Nail Salon, which curiously follows grisly backstage foot footage that shows Williams is in desperate need of a pedicure. Lorde appears later for their duet on Williams’ new album, which is one of the film’s knockout performances, albeit one already released as a single and video.
The ostensible reason for the film is Williams facing the challenge of writing and recording Te Whare Tīwekaweka, despite not being a fluent speaker. But te reo, he says unlocks something in him. And as the film eavesdrops on his songwriting sessions with Kommi Tamati-Elliffe, the album’s fascinating te reo Māori consultant, you can’t help but admire Williams’ dedication.
There are hints that there is clearly more to the songs musically, lyrically and thematically than just the language they’ve been delivered in. But that’s not much explored. It also sounds like the album represents something else in his career, that after a decade-plus stint of being on the record-tour-repeat treadmill, he needs to rethink his approach. “This giving myself to the world definitely has an expiry date.”
So says the charming man, while giving himself to the world in a fairly good movie about himself.
Rating out of five: ★★★
Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua - Two Worlds, directed by Ursula Grace Williams, is in cinemas now.
