SAME BUT DIFFERENT:
A TRUE NEW ZEALAND LOVE STORY

BIANCA FALLON-NORTHCROFT, FACEBOOK

A wonderful Kiwi made film full of humor and romance based on a resume story. from the casting which was spot on and the camera, sound and locations are of a very high standard. I laughed so hard and so often I had tears streaming down my face! Well done this will become a classic Kiwi film.

LINDA MARY SPARKLINGTON, FACEBOOK

You HAVE to see this movie! Laugh, boy did I ever. As well as a bit of eye moistness. 😂 Well made, excellent comic timing (I want to know how Hannah Martin kept a straight face). The cinematography was great. A great slice of Kiwi life. Go see it! Now!

AIRBORNEKIWI

We were lucky to have tickets to the world premiere of this film and there legit isn't enough kind words that could be said about this film.

Firstly, the performances are amazing. A lot of the film rests on the shoulders of Robyn Paterson, and admittedly at first there's a slight trepidation to the choices she makes for the situations her character is in. But it soon becomes apparent how intentional this all is and how it culminates in the shifts of mental states that her character goes through.

Hannah Martin also shines along side her. The chemistry between the two is rare in a lot of romantic films. The supporting cast all have some amazing moments, and honestly picking out a performance from them is impossible. They all shine at certain points and round the film out perfectly.

The editing blends the scenes adeptly, and the cinematography really shines. The score is beautiful, and the sets really bring the film, and New Zealand, to life.

But the real star is the people behind it. The film is obviously close to their heart, and while there could be a certain level of hubris that a writer/director could unintentionally put into a film about their own life, there's none of that. Si'ulepa doesn't shy away from telling her story, embracing the bad parts, and in typical kiwi style, making light of these dark situations. She doesn't make herself or anyone else in this film unbelievable, and the level of realism is refreshing. The production levels are also evident of money well spent, and Wills had produced something to be beyond proud of.

Is this a film for everyone? In a lot of ways, yes. It's a hilarious romp that tells the type of love story that Hollywood seems to be afraid of making. I'd struggle to see how someone couldn't get any enjoyment out of it.

MICHELLE BUCHANAN, FACEBOOK

One of the best movies I’ve seen in ages! It was absolutely hilarious and extremely well made too! What an awesome story. I’ve already seen it twice! Loved it!!! 5 outta 5

WOLFGANG, FLICKS.CO.NZ

Fact is always stranger than fiction, so if you didn’t know this movie was based on a true story, you wouldn’t believe it. That two women, one (Rachel), a white middle-class Auckland single mother of two, and one (Nikki), a Samoan-Kiwi filmmaker, should fall in love in this day and age, sounds fairly improbable but of course not impossible. Cupid strikes in the most unexpected places, be it on a Marae or in a Ponsonby restaurant, and the unfolding emotional roller coaster with all its comedic effects is a delight to watch on the big screen. Rachel, played by Robyn Paterson, is a commanding presence with an amazingly wide repertoire when it comes to emotional expression, while Nikki’s character (played by Hannah Martin) is more understated as the cool but mesmerising chick that plays hard to get but relents graciously in the end. The cast supporting the two main protagonists serve mainly as comedy elements, what with the cute two little children taking it all on the chin with good humour. While the cinematography is conventional, there is a clever innovation in blending in text messages that go back and forth between various characters, the children included, providing that quintessential ingredient of the modern lifestyle, being wedded to one’s smart phone. The sound track is pleasant, not intruding when the drama heats up on various occasions. Life in Auckland in 2019 seems fairly pleasant too, switching between the city suburbs and the green and clean West-Auckland and Waiheke beaches, so the scenery blends in with the main theme of some lovely people having a go at a happy ending. One only wishes life could be that fulfilling for the lesser souls that inhabit Auckland and Aotearoa in general, that Samoans and Pakeha and the whole melting pot that is Auckland could get it together like Rachel and Nikki, for truly, let’s make love – not war!

RON CRIBB, FACEBOOK

Loved the Movie so much. It spoke to me in many ways. Great acting. Great music. Well done and a well crafted storyline and overall bloody good kiwi film making. Very proud of you both.

KIRSTY HAMILTON, FACEBOOK

I have been thinking about this movie afterwards and this morning - and I encourage you to go and see it when it's on release for a number of reasons. 1. It's f@*%ing funny 2. It's an endearing, charming love story 3. It has an incredibly talented, motivated, determined writer/director and a producer (female).

Inspiring independent filmmaking. 

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I have to say again that this is proof to me  that we have so many altruistic, amazingly talented, generous, skilled film people here in all the areas of writing/directing, production and post who worked their a$$es off to get their stories up, and to facilitate writer/directors to get those stories made and out there and entertaining people.

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