If you dug Everything Everywhere All at Once–and let’s be real, who didn’t– but still have a yen for colourful, culturally-specific, woman–led action cinema, we’ve got good news for you: the ass-kicking extravaganza that is Polite Society is in New Zealand cinemas now.
This one comes to us courtesy of writer-director Nida Manzoor, creator of comedy series We Are Lady Parts, who makes her feature debut here. Polite Society centres on British-Pakistani high schooler Ria (Priya Kansara, who cropped up in Bridgerton), who dreams of becoming a stunt performer, roping in her older sister, aspiring artist Lena (Ritu Arya – The Umbrella Academy) to film stunt videos for the ‘gram. Lena grudgingly plays along, but their more traditional parents are less enthused—especially when Ria’s stunts go awry (which they frequently do).
What she really wants is to study under her idol, stuntwoman and Gladiators winner (remember Gladiators?) Eunice Huthart, but domestic issues take priority when Lena becomes engaged to rich kid Salim (Akshay Khanna), son of powerful local matriarch Raheela (Nimra Bucha, who pulled similar duties as a villain in Disney’s Ms. Marvel).
However, Ria suspects sinister motives, and what she and her besties lba (Ella Bruccoleri) and Clara (Seraphina Beh) uncover soon flicks the genre switch from “family dramedy” to “all out martial arts action extravaganza” as Ria and the gang try to save Lena from a fate worse than death before her impending nuptials.
Brisk, quirky, and packed with top-notch, well-choreographed fight sequences, Polite Society is a breath of fresh air in the action space, layering in themes of familial duty, cultural expectation, and personal freedom while never skimping on the action. It practically fizzes with energy and excitement, but keeps the stakes personal—a welcome change of gears from the usual save-the-world business action cinema trucks in. Think What’s Love Got to Do With It? with far more spinning wheel kicks and you’re on the right track.
