SXSW 2024 Review: “We Were Dangerous” – A Dramatic and a Witty Tale!

Women finding their place in this world can be a difficult road to navigate. There are many roads and avenues to discover, some more rocky than others but the choice ultimately is the most freeing experience. For New Zealand delinquent girls in the 1950, this isn’t the case.

Nellie (Erana James) and Daisy (Manaia Hall) consider each other family, having met after leaving home and find comfort in each other through their slightly rebellious behavior. They eventually find themselves as part of a school for delinquent girls where their escape attempt results in a relocation of the school to a remote island with no escape. With the help of their new friend Lou (Nathalie Morris), the three girls must discover the true nature of the island and find their own personal freedom.

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Produced by Taika Waititi, the beginning of We Were Dangerous brings a witty and comedic charm to it that coincides with Waititi’s reputation. The girls’ unbothered attitudes towards the staff brings about sharp responses and reactions to their daily lessons and the expectations placed on them.

The tone in the film is brilliantly replaced with a more sinister discovery of the motivations of the staff on the island and how they believe they can tame these “wild” teenagers. Their quick wit is replaced by fear that allows director Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu to pivot her direction, script, and tone of the film that matches with the girls’ attitude change.

Thematically, the concept of women rebelling in 1950s society and not accepting their rightful housewife duties resulted in them being labeled menaces and unfit isn’t new. However, the film’s script made it feel realistic to the time period while also maintaining an obvious correlation to how this idea has not changed as much as we think, even if women have more freedom.

Its examination of religion being used to suppress human qualities of curiosity and harmless rebellion are brought about both through laughs and heartache where the girls’ fun and games turn into intense fear. Gorgeous shots of the New Zealand landscape accompanied by a calming score made We Were Dangerous possess a sense of hope above all.

The film furthers its stance on how a beautiful thing like religion can be harnessed by ill intention of “leaders” where this system is creating the destruction of these young girls, fueling their motives further rather than allowing them to mature naturally. Nellie, Daisy, and Lou are highly likable characters where their disobedience is because of their strong willed personalities to understand that adults don’t always have their best interests at heart in a world where they are told to respect their superiors.

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We Were Dangerous feels its own little island, a small scale film with a strong focus on what it wants to say with a director and writer who understands the balance between heart and fear, just as complex as humans are. It has enough mystery and intrigue as the girls’ piece together why they arrived and their potential fate that makes this movie a beautiful directorial debut from Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu.

‘We Were Dangerous’ Rating – 4/5

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