Cousins

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Cousins
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Cousins is a New Zealand drama about three Maori women and the different lives they end up leading, with strong language and instances of racism. The movie is in English and Maori (with subtitles) and provides an intimate look at Maori traditions and culture. The story centers around the lives of three cousins, Mata, Makareta, and Missy, who are each played by three different actors as the action flicks back and forth across multiple decades. Family and identity are key to the plot as the three cousins all experience their Maori heritage in different ways. As a child, Mata is put into an orphanage with limited contact with her Maori "whanau." There she is subjected to racism, bullying, and abuse, both from the fellow kids and the staff. This includes being called "blackie" and having her head held down in a muddy puddle, while another kid is caned for misbehaving. Later in life she experiences homelessness and some unspecified mental illness. But Makareta and Missy both show great perseverance in their efforts to track Mata down. The language is fairly frequent and includes "f--k," "bitch," and "d--khead." During one distressing scene, a mother gives birth to a stillborn baby. The baby is briefly seen, covered in blood, before being covered in a towel. There is some smoking, as befitting some of the time periods depicted. There is also some drinking, including one character pouring alcohol from her hip flask into her coffee.
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What's the Story?
COUSINS tells the story of three female Maori cousins, whose lives take different directions when one of them is placed in an orphanage. Spanning a number of decades, Makareta (played by Mihi Te Rauhi Daniels, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, and Briar Grace Smith) and Missy (Keyahne Patrick Williams, Hariata Moriarty, Rachel House) never give up on finding their cousin Mata (Te Ao Marama Baker, Te Raukura Gray, Tanea Heke), whose circumstances have led her to become separated not just from her family, but her Maori identity too.
Is It Any Good?
Adapted from Patricia Grace's popular novel, this New Zealand drama about family, identity, and Maori culture demands your attention. Set across multiple decades, Cousins moves back and forth between the three protagonists' lives, from childhood to young and older adulthood. If you don't keep up, the story may be hard to follow. And even if you do stick with the nonlinear narrative, there are many blanks to fill in. For example, there's no big sequence into how Mata finds herself to be experiencing homelessness, although it's easy to see how. But the beauty of the movie -- which gives an insight into Maori culture so rarely seen on-screen -- is not so much with the journey, but rather the destination.
At the center of the film is the issue of identity and family, or as called in Maori culture, "whanau." All three cousins have different relationships with their heritage. Makareta steps away from it, running away on the day of her arranged marriage, leaving Missy to volunteer to take her place, recognizing what it means to her family. Meanwhile, Mata, the tragic figure of the piece, cruelly has her identity taken away from her, placed in an orphanage and given the "White" name, May. The film won't be for everyone. But those who commit fully to the 98-minute running time will see a story that will linger long after the closing credits.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how identity and family were portrayed in Cousins. How did Makareta, Missy, and Mata's experiences of Maori life differ? What does it mean to belong to something? What does it mean to be a family? Do you have any cousins? What is your relationship with them like?
Discuss the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Talk about the racism in the movie. How did you feel about those scenes? Have you ever experienced or seen racism? How did you handle the situation? What would you do if you encountered it again? How to talk with kids about racism.
Makareta, Missy, and Mata were all very different in terms of personality. What character strengths did they show? Why are these important traits to have?
What did you know of Maori culture before seeing this movie? Was it unusual to see a movie with Maori people at its center?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 2, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: July 22, 2021
- Cast: Rachel House, Chelsie Preston Crayford, Cohen Holloway
- Directors: Ainsley Gardiner, Briar Grace Smith
- Studio: ARRAY Releasing
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters
- Character Strengths: Compassion, Courage, Perseverance
- Run time: 98 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: June 2, 2022
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