TRIBECA 2021 | "The Justice Of Bunny King"; Essie Davis Delivers A Powerhouse Performance In Gaysorn Thavat's Moving Directorial Debut
11/12 ForReel Score | 4.5/5 Stars
In an opening sequence of The Justice of Bunny King, Bunny is sitting in the lobby of a government family services facility; it’s her prearranged time to have a visit with her two children. But while she’s waiting, she observes a young mom arguing with an apathetic receptionist instructing her to complete what she’s doing tomorrow - a trip this woman says she cannot afford. After the confrontation when the woman takes a seat a few chair lengths away from Bunny with her crying child, Bunny digs through her over-worn bag, pulls out a handful of coins, and hands them to the woman for the return trip. “Here. Ask for a review form,” she instructs the young woman. “Write a complaint.” And the woman responds with gratitude.
This is just how Bunny King is: constantly down on her luck, but also constantly trying to help others. She is filled with good intentions and high hopes counterbalanced in equal measure with hostility and cunningness. She’s a victim of poverty and of her own temperament. And the talented Essie Davis brings all of Bunny King’s strengths and shortcomings to life in roaring fashion. Wearing old clothes, a constantly frazzled hairstyle, and the weight of society’s judgement on her face, Davis imbues a fiery passion in what is sure to be yet another career-defining role, deftly accentuating the most admirable and most troublesome qualities of Bunny.
In The Justice of Bunny King, Bunny is trying to elevate her situation enough to see her two children more often - at the very least, secure her own place so she can regain parental rights and arrange home visits. But her efforts are always met with roadblocks and setbacks for reasons that are sometimes a product of her own doing, but most times a consequence of broken systems in society. Either way, combating judgement and prejudice proves taxing and discouraging. So when Bunny suddenly learns that her kids have transferred foster homes without her knowing, she takes matters into her own hands, exercising more and more extreme measures to fulfill her promise to spend her daughter's birthday with her. With the accompaniment of her niece, the two travel down a slippery road of one thing leading to another, reaching a fever pitch at Bunny's most desperate time.
Essie Davis playing Bunny King (left) and Thomasin McKenzie playing Tonyah.
That niece is Tonyah, the endangered daughter of Bunny’s sister played by Thomasin McKenzie who has given noteworthy performances in critically acclaimed films like Leave No Trace and Jojo Rabbit, among other films in recent years. Here, she wields that tender, meek, and affective personality we’re familiar with in her roles to accompany Davis in her endeavor. The combination of Davis and McKenzie is like a symbiotic dynamic with Davis as powerhouse talent who can’t be ignored and McKenzie as the calm amongst the storm.
The two are highlights in a story that is built for - and succeeds at - leaving a strong impression on audiences. The Justice of Bunny King, written by Sophie Henderson, is Gaysorn Thavat’s directorial debut, and what’s remarkable about this production is how effectively Thavat is able to put audiences in Bunny’s shoes. We carry the weight of her struggles. We feel her disappointment in every step forward resulting in two steps back. Every hardship, tribulation, and misstep comes with the context we typically lack in real world encounters with the underprivileged, and this is all the product of clear and extraordinarily empathetic direction of the storytelling from Thavat.
Would increased social service benefits, a little generosity, and a lot more compassion from society be enough to pull Bunny out of the pitfalls of poverty? With the first person view of the challenges involved with this stage of life, it’s easy to ponder the question. But it’s not a question Thavat seeks to address. The Justice of Bunny King is a human story - a story about how significant empathy can be to someone seeking a better quality of life, and how resiliant a mother can be. When we encounter those of lesser means, we can choose to either be judgemental or to be compassionate. The real question to ponder when The Justice of Bunny King comes to an end is which will you be?
Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1 | Reviewer's Preference - 2 | What does this mean?
CAST & CREDITS
Directed by Gaysorn Thavat
Gaysorn Thavat is a New Zealand-based film, television, and commercial director whose debut feature, The Justice of Bunny King, is premiering at Tribeca. BFI London Film Festival, Locarno Festival, and Melbourne International Film Festival selected her short film Brave Donkey.
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Ginny Loane
EDITOR
Cushla Dillon
CAST
Essie Davis, Thomasin McKenzie
DIRECTOR
Gaysorn Thavat
PRODUCER
Emma Slade
SCREENWRITER
Sophie Henderson