New Zealand filmmaker Taika Cohen has created a counterpart to Napoleon Dynamite. The film was written by director Cohen and its star Loren Horsley. Eagle Vs. Shark, centers around to socially awkward people as they discover that they are either perfect or perfectly wrong for each other. Lily, played by Loren Horsley, works at a fast food restaurant, and the highlight of her day is when Jarrod, played by Jermaine Clement, comes in and orders food. Sporting a mullet, Jarrod is as oblivious to Lily’s affections as he is to the scorn he receives in his attempts to pursue Lily’s co-worker.
Fightman!
Lily takes her co-worker’s invitation to an animal party and invites herself, hoping to finally get Jarrod’s attention. With all of the guests dressed as their favorite animals, the highlight of the evening is a Fightman! Tournament, a hyper-violent videogame. Jarrod, dressed in his eagle costume, has been the champion of these tournaments for the last several years, and Lily, dressed as the titular shark, is finally able to gain his approval when she proves to be a formidable opponent. The two quickly become inseparable, and Jarrod invites Lily to his hometown to view his eventual fight with his high school nemesis.
Not According to Plan
The film takes a bittersweet turn once the couple arrives at Jarrod’s hometown and Jarrod begins to seek the attention of an ex-girlfriend. Practically stranded in a strange town, Lily begins to become acquainted with Jarrod’s family members and discovers some of the reasons behind his idiosyncrasies. As Jarrod states, “I’m too complex!” Inadvertently she helps to smooth over some of Jarrod’s issues with his family as Lily and Jarrod eventually find their way back to each other. Jarrod seems incorrigible, though, as he finally faces off with his high school nemesis, though not in the way he was intending to. It’s hard not to be happy for Lily, though.
“She Went to a Lesbian Party!”
The humor and melancholy of the film balance each other out. The film succeeds in really making its audience care for its characters, and the actors are all excellently cast. Though at times the characters’ extreme awkwardness might be reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite, it stands on its own and doesn’t feel derivative. Several stop-motion segments interspersed add to the films whimsical and fantastical nature, and while the film might seem removed from reality, the emotions portrayed in the film are very real.
