Movie Review: ‘We Were Dangerous’ – A Fierce, Tender Rebellion That Inspires Resilience.

There’s something quietly intriguing about the film ‘We Were Dangerous‘. I must admit that it took me several attempts to fully commit to watching this feature film debut from Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu. My first few attempts failed because the opening moments of the film felt like something that would be draining to watch. But eventually, I committed to it and I was slowly sucked into this narrative that was certainly worth my time.

It tells a story set in 1950s Aotearoa, New Zealand, about a time of oppression for young girls who were expected to abide by colonial values and religious dogma.

In the film, teenage girls Nellie, Daisy and Lou as well as a group of others, are forced to be in an institution for delinquent girls on an isolated island. The girls continue their defiance against the system that has failed them by finding strength in the friendship they share. But this is threatened by the Matron, who is tasked to keep them under the thumb of the system and society’s expectations of young girls.

You might be wondering what makes these girls delinquents. In the context of this story, this is the label that has been given to unfortunate girls who society deemed unfit, whether due to race, sexuality, or mere nonconformity.

After a failed attempt at escaping the facility on the mainland, the girls are bundled up and shipped off to an isolated island, which was once a colony for lepers. The Head Matron (played by Rima Te Wiata) is instructed to keep the girls there, teach and train them to be compliant with the structures of the society. As much as she complies with her superiors, she struggles with her own decisions and choices. 

The narrative presents the girls as very vibrant and hearty regardless of the circumstances that they find themselves in. They are not just rebellious, they are resilient, and the film captures this all in a humorous tone. This makes its 83-minute runtime more enjoyable to sit through.

Nellie (played by Erana James), Daisy (played by Manaia Hall), and Lou (played by Nathalie Morris) lead the emotional charge, each bringing layered performances that never feel forced or typical. Through the voiceover narration and creatively structured screenplay, we get to learn more about each of them and how they ended up being seen as delinquents. Together, they form the emotional backbone of the story, a found-family dynamic that the audience can connect with and feel empathetic toward.

Rima Te Wiata also delivers well on her role as The Matron. As an authority figure, she’s a villain in the story or at least the immediate representation of it. But she is also seen as a woman who is committed to doing her job and playing her part as it is expected of her. Even if it means siding with a system that oppresses young girls who she shares more with than she is willing to accept.

Josephine Stewart Te Whiu approaches the story with a deep sense of empathy, but also does a great job of not making the film feel too much of an emotional drag. The contrast of seeing these girls still laughing, being silly and witty whilst being trapped within the confines of a structured government-sponsored abuse in itself is riveting yet inspires resilience. The fight in the girls is there, and you see it and appreciate it.

Even through the humour, the film still keeps its tone of seriousness. You see and appreciate the full extent of the matter without the feeling that a political ideology is being forced or preached to you.

The creative choices also make the film pleasing to the eyes. The island provides a plethora of beautiful and scenic choices that add some beauty to the otherwise sad story of these girls. The island feels like both a prison and a playground, a place that could have been paradise if not for the weight of colonial ideology pressing down on it. The combination of the visuals, the music and the occasional silence creates an atmosphere that is equal measures of calming and unsettling.

Whilst watching this film, one thing is for sure. It inspires hope and the spirit of resilience. It is not another story that is meant to remind you of people’s pain or meant to be one that exposes a nation’s dark secret. However, it reminds us that systems may crush souls at times, but they struggle to crush spirits.

‘We Were Dangerous‘ is a rebellious, heartfelt, and necessary film. I will score it 8/10. It exposes a painful part of history while never losing sight of the people at its core. And most importantly, it manages to present a story about struggle and suffering as one that inspires defiance and resilience.