Two cars one night

Two cars one night is directed by Taika Waititi and follows the story of 3 young children in new Zealand waiting in a car park for their parents to return, the narrative of the short shows an unlikely relationship build between the main protagonist and a girl who is also waiting in the car park. the video has been described as a tale of first love that sees a relationship that is first based on rivalry develop in to freindship. we learn that love can be found in the most unlikely places.

The film starts with a shot of two boys sitting in the front of car looking bored, whilst one reads the other looks on at the pub they are park in front of waiting to see his parents return. The director shows that the two boys have been waiting a long duration for their parents return by speeding up footage of cars entering and exiting the car park, this also helps to portray the state of mind of the two boys as well as the lack of sound and the use of black and white. There is no sound, no music, no conversation just the sound of the cars moving along as the adults enter the pub whilst the boys are stuck waiting, the black and white makes the picture very dull unlike the colourful worlds children are usually focused in. I think it is clear that the director is trying to portray the dull and boring situation that we have all encountered at some point in our child hood, waiting for parents to return to the car whilst we try our hardest to find ways to kill the time. A few seconds later a car pulls up alongside Ed’s car, the adults exit the car leaving Polly in the same situation as Romeo and his brother Ed, there is a short moment where Romeo and the girl exchange glances then they both return to the world of their individual cars. The next part shows the personalities of both the brothers and the contrasts between those personalities, our protagonist Romeo comes across as a fidget and being loud both characteristics of someone who is annoying and immature. His younger brother Ed on the other hand is very calm and quiet, as Ed is pretending to drive the car and make loud car sounds his younger brother sits in quiet and reads this is the opposite to what most people may expect as the younger sibling is usually the less mature one. At this point I think that Romeo is using his methods of killing time to also get the attention of the girl who gazes on at their car who has also become bored very quickly whilst waiting for her parents and after Ed’s brother states that she is starring Romeo makes contact the only way a 9 year old boy knows how to especially to a girl, by being rude. After already mocking her and telling her not to look at him as her face may wreck the car he attempts to start a conversation by saying “oi ugly”, after Polly shows no reaction to Romeo’s annoying behaviour he gives up and to our a surprise after a short silence Polly unexpectedly retaliates by shouting back “oi dick” her banter continues until Romeo finally retaliates making clear she won the argument the two found themselves in. The silence then continues this time showing Polly trying to kill time by fiddling with the cars mirror and watching smokers exit and enter the pub, here the director speeds up the footage again but uses a technique in which the light from the cigarettes remains leaving a scribble of light through the eyes of Polly. When an elderly cyclist approaches the cars, whilst Polly winds up her window in fear Ed remains his cool by leaving it open and nodding at the cyclist. Romeo soon exits his car and scares Polly by creeping up on her, he starts conversation but this time tries to impress Polly instead of mock her, he starts by pretending he can drive and then attempts to prove the point by asking his brother, here it is clear that Ed is used to his annoying brothers behaviour by simply saying no and keeping his answers short whilst he concentrates on his book, even when Romeo begins calling him gay he shows no interest and replies “probably”. The conversation is really light hearted and sweet with humorous lines and behaviour. After attempting to impress Polly Romeo goes on to compliment her by being impressed by her ring, here I believe the story has shown development of attraction and interaction, at early years males show affection to females by being rude and it is known that when a boy is horrible to a girl it is a sign that he likes her. Later years maybe teen and up attempts to impress girls are on males agenda when it comes to attraction, lies or dramatised truths are used to impress a girl into being attracted to you where as in the end most males learn that the strongest way to attract a girl is to make them happy and the most effective way to do this is by complimenting them, in this case Romeo is complimenting the beauty of Polly’s ring, a ring that is later given to Romeo when Polly’s parents return to the car, when Romeo asks why Polly says “so you remember me” concluding of what started as rivalry as a friendship or first love.