In the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill, a Fijian-New Zealand family has been summoned by its cantankerous matriarch. Nanna Maria dreams of the way life once was and, fearful that her kin has forgotten how to live, demands they hold a feast. They need to dance, celebrate and, above all, argue, she reasons. At the end of the party, in accordance with tradition, she will name a successor to assume responsibility for the family. Yet only grandchildren are invited, those who have most disappointed her are not welcome.

Fraser co-wrote Vincent Ward’s River Queen and here takes his first steps behind the camera. This charmer is adapted from his own stage show and gets a grip on themes common to many extended, ethnic communities. Dislocation, responsibility, age and familial expectation are reflected through Maria’s dominance and ebbing control. Despite her best intentions, not everything goes Nanna’s way and when she decides to call it off, the brood come together to give the crazy woman what she wants.

Eschewing the obvious comic elements of cultural yarns like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Fraser keeps it warm and earthy though he’s not beyond some sharp jokes - an aggrieved German tourist demanding to know the location of Mount Doom for one. Occasional lapses chip at the film, yet Fraser builds a convincing tale that transcends its stage roots to take on a compelling life of its own. Supported by attractive cinematography and a handsome cast, No. 2  makes for a thoroughly agreeable time in Mt Roskill’s tropical embrace.

// COLIN FRASER