By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
"HOLY DAYS" STALLS ON A PROMISING JOURNEY
The road trip dramady
"Holy Days" from Nat Boltt (TV's "The Dressing Room")--in her directorial debut-- could have used a bit of divine inspiration.
Based on Joy Cowley's 2013 novel of the same name, the film aims for a heartfelt blend of humor and grief but never quite finds the right balance. There are a handful of genuinely amusing moments sprinkled throughout, yet they're weighed down by a meandering narrative that struggles to maintain momentum.
What should feel like a meaningful emotional journey instead comes across as unfocused and, at times, surprisingly dull.
Set in 1970s New Zealand, "Holy Days" centers on Brian Collins, (Elijah Tamati, "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" and TV's "Dead Ahead"), a grieving young boy who, after the death of his mother, finds comfort in an unlikely trio of elderly nuns. There is Sister Agnes (Judy Davis, TV's "Ratched"), Sister Luke (Miriam Margolyes, "The Marbles"), and Sister Mary Clare (Jacki Weaver, TV's "Yellowstone" and "Clipped").
When their convent faces closure, Brian joins the nuns on a chaotic road trip in a borrowed car to track down a deed that could save it.
Brian has a sticky relationship with his father Joe (Craig Hall, TV's "NCIS Sydney" and "Neighbours"), because he's already remarried a woman named Liz (played by the film's director Nat Boltt).
Along the way, Brian harbors a more personal goal: reaching Aoraki/Mount Cook, where he hopes to feel a spiritual connection to his late mother before her memory fades.
The premise is rich with potential, but the film never quite capitalizes on it, drifting between tones without fully committing to either comedy or drama.
The film's brightest spot is its young lead, Elijah, whose performance brings sincerity and emotional grounding. Unfortunately, even his charming presence can't fully compensate for a direction that lacks a clear sense of purpose.
Boltt never quite gets a handle on the road trip dynamic, leaving the relationships feeling underdeveloped and the journey itself lacking urgency or payoff.
"Holy Days" feels less like a moving pilgrimage and more like a long, aimless drive, occasionally pleasant, but mostly unmemorable.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
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"HOLY DAYS"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
