Came a Hot Friday

Oct 4, 1985

1h 41m

★ 6.5

Overview

Set in post-war (1949) rural New Zealand, this film traces the efforts of two con men to run a betting scam in a small town (Tainuea) already rife with illegal gambling corruption, and eccentricity.

Genres

Drama

Comedy

Production Companies

New Zealand National Film Unit

Shaker Run Productions

Came a Hot Friday Trailers

Cast

Wes Pennington

Peter Bland

Cyril Kidman

Phillip Gordon

Don Jackson

Michael Lawrence

The Tainuia Kid

Billy T. James

Sel Bishop

Marshall Napier

Norm Cray

Don Selwyn

Esmerelda

Marise Wipani

Will Bastion returns home from the army after an absence of 20 years to bury his father, the former chief of thee Maori tribe, Ngati Kaipuku. The eldest son, he is reluctant to inherit his fathers role, so it is taken more willingly by his younger brother, Kahu. Kahu is the leader of a band of drug dealers and trouble-makers who ride horses through the middle of town, wrecking peoples gardens. Under the guise of refusal of a land settlement, Kahu makes a large marijuana deal with some murdering city folk. Will must choose between loyalty for his brother and his father, Maori tradition, and contemporary financial issues.

6.8

Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale

Apr 9, 1986

Featuring the characters from Murray Ball's "Footrot Flats" (New Zealands most beloved local cartoon strip), questions to be answered include: Will Wal Footrot win the affections of Cheeky Hobson over the sleazy Spit Murphy? Will the Dog win the affections of the lovely Jess? Will Wal make a good impression on the selectors at Saturday's rugby match? Can Rangi and Pongo save Cooch's prize stag from the depths of Blackwater Station, home of the Murphys, their vicious dogs and deadly croco-pigs? All this and more will be answered as the small town of Raupo comes to life on the big screen.

6.8

The Legend of Baron To'a

Feb 20, 2020

‘The Legend of Baron To’a’ tells the story of Fritz, a Tongan entrepreneur who returns to his old neighbourhood and inadvertently causes the theft of his late father’s valued pro wrestling title belt by some ruthless gangsters led by ‘man-mountain’ Tahu. When negotiation and diplomacy fail to get it back, he is forced to embrace his father’s legacy to reclaim the title.

0.0

Perfect Storm

Oct 14, 2021

On the wild west coast of Auckland in New Zealand we follow one man's enforced isolation. Pacing the beach, he wonders if those dear to him will ever be seen again.

7.7

The World's Fastest Indian

Oct 12, 2005

The life story of New Zealander Burt Munro, who spent years building a 1920 Indian motorcycle—a bike which helped him set the land-speed world record at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967.

6.3

Bad Taste

Dec 1, 1987

A team from the intergalactic fast food chain Crumb's Crunchy Delights descends on Earth, planning to make human flesh the newest taste sensation. After they wipe out the New Zealand town Kaihoro, the country’s Astro-Investigation and Defense Service (AIaDS) is called in to deal with the problem. Things are complicated due to Giles, an aid worker who comes to Kaihoro the same day to collect change from the residents. He is captured by the aliens, and AIaDS stages a rescue mission that quickly becomes an all-out assault on the aliens’ headquarters.

8.0

Resolve

Jul 23, 2017

Based on the true story of Chris Crean, who took a stand against gang violence in his community only to become a target himself.

6.5

Out of the Blue

Oct 12, 2006

Ordinary people find extraordinary courage in the face of madness. On 13–14 November 1990 that madness came to Aramoana, a small New Zealand seaside town, in the form of a lone gunman with a high-powered semi-automatic rifle. As he stalked his victims the terrified and confused residents were trapped for 24 hours while a handful of under-resourced and under-armed local policemen risked their lives trying to find him and save the survivors. Based on true events.

6.3

The Dark Horse

Jul 17, 2014

One-time Maori speed-chess champ, Genesis Potini, lives with a bi-polar disorder and must overcome prejudice and violence in the battle to save his struggling chess club, his family and ultimately, himself.

6.5

Eagle vs Shark

Jul 15, 2007

Love blossoms for Lily over double Meaty Boy burgers at mid-day when uber-computer nerd Jarrod comes in and leaves with free extra large fries. After gatecrashing Jarrod's party and proving her skills on the game console, Lily goes down to Jarrod's home town with him so he can settle an old score with a past school bully.

5.0

Notes from a Fish

Aug 8, 2025

An aspiring novelist on the verge of a publishing breakthrough loses his unconventional muse, a tropical fish, sending him and an unstable fisheries officer on a series of bizarre misadventures in search of the fish rumoured to hold mysterious, almost magical powers.

0.0

TINA

Apr 6, 2024

A 23-year-old revisits the family car he grew up with to experience the thrill of childhood again...

0.0

Ross & Beth

Jul 1, 2014

The story of a humble farming couple, a sudden upheaval and an unlikely saviour.

3.6

Mercy Mission: The Rescue of Flight 771

Dec 13, 1993

Lost somewhere over the Pacific in a single-engine Cessna with low fuel, a pilot (Scott Bakula) awaits rescue.

5.3

Perfect Creature

Aug 16, 2007

The vampire myth is given a stylish 1960s treatment, where a human cop partners with a vampire cop to stop a vamp bent on creating a war between the two "separate but equal" races.

4.2

Consent: The Louise Nicholas Story

Aug 17, 2014

Based on the best-selling book 'My Story' this feature length drama goes beyond the headlines to tell an intimate story about secrets and one woman's struggle to have them heard. In 1993 Louise Nicholas made her first shocking accusations about being raped by policemen. Some believed her, many didn't. CONSENT tells the story of the senior policeman who went to great lengths to help her fight her case, the journalist who exposed the truth, and the family at the center of the storm.

5.0

Dangerous Orphans

Jan 1, 1985

Three orphaned boys - O'Malley, Rossi and Moir - become blood brothers. When they grow up, they plot revenge on the crooks who got away with shooting O'Malley's father. The crooks are doing very nicely importing heroin and laundering money. The boys begin by killing one of the crooks, stealing his indentification and cleaning out the guy's Swiss bank account. But their revenge does not stop here... And the American end of the operation is getting very curious.

6.6

Goodbye Pork Pie

Feb 5, 1981

Gerry hires a car in Kaitaia with a stolen licence and travels to Invercargill with John, whose wife has just left him. The ultimate New Zealand road trip adventure.