Before he took us on a Hunt for the Wilderpeople, dabbled in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Ragnarok and then won an Oscar for last year's instant classic Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi made his feature debut in 2007 with this absolutely delightful and refreshingly strange rom-com about two oddballs. Lily (Loren Horsley, who co-developed the story with Waititi) is a quiet, mousy cashier at local burger joint Meaty Boy where she one day serves Jarrod (Jemaine Clement), for whom she instantly has the hots. She's soon given the axe, but then invited (or rather, given an invitation to pass on, which she doesn't) to his annual "Dress as your favourite animal" party where we learn he's a video game store employee with social skills even more lacking than hers. But Jarrod is impressed with Lily's shark costume (he wears an eagle one) and especially with her savant-level gaming skills. No sooner than that do they get it on that night, and then she meets his equally bizarre relatives, before they take a road trip, with her film fanatic brother Damon (Joel Tobeck), to his hometown to confront his former school bully Eric (Dave Fane) for long-awaited revenge.
As I watched Eagle vs. Shark I felt like it was made solely for me, and not just because Jarrod and I share a first name (for starters). It's never stated, but Lily and Jarrod quite clearly both have Asperger's and they realistically reflect how that can vary between the genders (although it doesn't necessarily reinforce stereotypes there) and in terms of Aspies' subjective attitudes. She secretly writes music and loves being physically wrapped up, he has almost no filter and no regard for others' interests unless they're also his, and both talk in quite flat tones and often struggle with maintaining conversation. But in each other they find kindred spirits, and Waititi, Horsley and Clement all sincerely and successfully try to draw us into their very limited and unusual bubbles, with none of them ever passing judgment. The added touch of animated interludes with a slowly rotting apple (beginning after Jarrod throws a rotten one out of the car on their trip) very profoundly reflects their up-and-down relationship, as does a climactic use of a slow cover of David Bowie's Let's Dance.
It's not quite as great as Hunt for the Wilderpeople or particularly Jojo Rabbit, but Eagle vs. Shark is nonetheless a thoroughly charming and imaginative debut (and yes, Waititi makes a cameo - two, actually) and it confidently features the subversive, satirical dramedy approach that's become his narrative trademark. A gem.
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