Zoe McIntosh’s not-quite-mockumentary The Deadly Ponies Gang is a good-natured lark, a chance to goof off with some uniquely Kiwi characters, but too slight to linger in the memory for long. Clint Rarm and Dwayne Sisson play exaggerated versions of themselves, the sole members of the titular gang, selling weed in West Auckland and using their pony to strike up conversation with any babes who might be at the local beach.
Part of the fun is trying to figure out how much of what we’re seeing is real, and how much is being performed. According to writer-director McIntosh “Clint and Dwayne draw from their real lives, situations and experiences to improvise loosely conceived sequences.” The authenticity of their friendship is apparent, but the scenarios that play out tip over into silliness too often, undercutting any investment we may have in the boys’ good fortune, or lack thereof.
They are funny, though. Both guys have plenty of natural charm, and Clint in particular is pretty hilarious when left to monologue about whatever has his attention.
Interspersed throughout are scenes involving DJ Buster, a 12 year old auditioning to be a member of the gang. These parts are cute enough, and Buster is endearingly unselfconscious, but they don’t end up adding much to the story of Dwayne and Clint.
The Deadly Ponies Gang feels more like the pilot episode of a TV show than a movie, but it’s always entertaining, an interesting mix of realism and comedy that, while slight, eventually proves kind of heart-warming.
‘The Deadly Ponies Gang’ Movie Times
