What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

Much more than just a sequel to Once Were Warriors, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? is an entity in its own right: a mighty achievement that resonates with its own energy and adrenalin, beauty and grace.

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? New Zealand, 1999

Director: Ian Mune
Production co: South Sea Pictures
Producer: Bill Gavin
Executive producers: John Barnett, Richard Sheffield
Associate producers: Alan Duff, Temuera Morrison
Screenplay: Alan Duff
Director of photography: Allen Guilford
Camera: Alun Bollinger
Editor: Mike Horton
Designer: Brett Schwieters
Design assistant: Guy Moana
Music: David Hirschfelder

With: Temuera Morrison (Jake Heke), Nancy Brunning (Tania Rogers), Clint Eruera (Sonny Heke), Tammy Davis (Mookie), Edna Stirling (Rita), Rena Owen (Beth Heke), Taungaroa Emile (Boogie Heke), Joseph Kairau (Huata Heke), Hop Thompson (Polly Heke), Tony Arahanga (Cody), Lawrence Makaore (Grunt), Roi Taimana (Chug), Sonny Kirikiri (Bobby), Julian Arahanga (Nig Heke), Anaru Grant (Kohi Douglas), Warwick Morehu (Gary Douglas)

35mm, 99 minutes, R16–contains violence and offensive language

“This is a landmark New Zealand film – not perfect, but magnificent nonetheless.” — James Hollings, The Evening Post, 18/5/1999

“What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? picks up the story of Jake (Temuera Morrison) several years later, now separated from Beth (Rena Owen in a cameo appearance) and estranged from sons Nig, Sonny and Boogie. But when Nig is killed in a gang shootout and Sonny vows to wreak revenge, Jake is forced to confront his own anger – and the massive toll it has taken on his eldest son. Admittedly, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? lacks the wakeup-call impact of the original. But Mune makes up for this with a broader scope, interweaving the stories of Jake's redemption and Sonny's descent with unerring skill, and with an increased emphasis on character subtlety. Nancy Brunning delivers a performance every bit as affecting as that which Owen gave in the original, and Mune elicits a startling turn from Morrison, who commands the screen with every gesture and line of dialogue.

“… Much more than just a sequel to Once Were Warriors, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? is an entity in its own right: a mighty achievement that resonates with its own energy and adrenalin, beauty and grace.” — Matthew Grainger, The Dominion, 28/5/99

“There is violence, of course… but, as with everything else in this film, it's never drawn out, never gratuitous. Bare essentials only. The story's the thing. And there's humour, too – not self-conscious or misjudged, but totally appropriate to the character (Tammy Davis makes an impression here with his dead-on characterisation of Mookie, Sonny's sidekick), or to the situation (Jake's One Night Out Hunting – a sort of downmarket bonding exercise). It's difficult to single out performances. Regardless of experience, the actors all play their roles with conviction and truth. And, although the film wisely avoids the designer gang look of Warriors, the beauty, strength and character of the faces still strikes you time and again. What also strikes you is how much this film is an argument to maintaining our film industry. To be able to combine the years of experience of Mune, Allen Guilford, Alun Bollinger, Michael Horton, Brett Schwieters, Tem Morrison, Rena Owen, Don Selwyn and others with the new, young and fearsomely talented means that we do have the foundation of a mature and vibrant industry. One that, like this film, does the business.” — Helene Wong, Listener, 5/6/99

“If nothing else Broken Hearted proves the territory it covers still needs our care and attention as much today as it did when Warriors came out. In a country where the closest we usually get to airing our dirty laundry is after an All Black loss, the jolt is needed. It just comes as a bit of a shock to be rummaging through the bleakest corners of our culture in a cinema. Then again, you've got to start somewhere – and a compliment to the censors for their R16 certificate, keeping access open to what is a very heavy film. It's a cliché to say this but it should be said: if What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? helps just one person change his or her life for the better, then we owe it an enormous debt of gratitude.” — Michael Lamb, Sunday Star Times, 23/5/99

Screenings: What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? screened on 16 July 2008; and on 7 November 2004 in a selection chosen by film maker Larry Parr