Watch Once Were Warriors

Once Were Warriors is a 1994 film based on New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling 1990 first novel. The film tells the story of an urban Māori family, the Hekes, and their problems with poverty, alcoholism and domestic violence, mostly brought on by family patriarch Jake. It was directed by Lee Tamahori, and stars Rena Owen and Temuera Morrison. Set in 1994, Beth Heke (Rena Owen) left her small town and, despite the disapproval of her parents, married Jake "the Muss" Heke (Temuera Morrison) - Muss being short for "Muscles." After eighteen years they live in a unkempt council house and... MORE

Once Were Warriors is a 1994 film based on New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling 1990 first novel. The film tells the story of an urban Māori family, the Hekes, and their problems with poverty, alcoholism and domestic violence, mostly brought on by family patriarch Jake. It was directed by Lee Tamahori, and stars Rena Owen and Temuera Morrison. Set in 1994, Beth Heke (Rena Owen) left her small town and, despite the disapproval of her parents, married Jake "the Muss" Heke (Temuera Morrison) - Muss being short for "Muscles." After eighteen years they live in a unkempt council house and have five children. Their interpretations of life and being Māori are tested. Their oldest daughter, Grace, keeps a journal in which she chronicles events as well as stories which she tells her younger siblings. Jake is fired from his job and but is satisfied with the unemployment benefit, spending most of the days getting drunk at the local pub with his friends. There he is in his element, buying drinks, singing songs and savagely beating any other patron whom he considers to have stepped out of line. He often invites huge crowds of friends back from the bar to his home for wild parties. While LESS