In Chapter 2: “Another Door,” the film’s tone shifts from the warmth of Bella’s home to a sense of cold uncertainty. Here is a summary of the key events for your film studies:
1. The Funeral and the Letter
The chapter opens with Bella’s funeral. The atmosphere is grey and bleak, a huge contrast to the bright colours of Chapter 1. Shortly after, a letter arrives from Child Welfare. Now that Bella (the primary caregiver) is gone, the government decides that Hec is “unsuitable” to look after Ricky alone. They plan to take Ricky back to the city and place him in a juvenile detention centre (or “Juvee”).
2. The Rejection
Ricky is terrified of going back to the system. He pleads with Uncle Hec to let him stay on the farm, even offering to do all the work. However, Hec is grieving and grumpy; he tells Ricky bluntly that he doesn’t want him there and that the “deal” was with Bella, not him. This leaves Ricky feeling completely rejected and alone.
3. Faking the Death
Instead of waiting for Paula to come and get him, Ricky decides to take matters into his own hands. He comes up with a dramatic, “gangsta” plan:
- He burns down the barn (though he accidentally burns it down much faster than he intended).
- He leaves a suicide note and a straw dummy of himself inside the burning barn to make it look like he died in the fire.
- It is a classic “theatrical” move that shows Ricky’s wild imagination and his desperation to escape.
4. Into the Bush
With his dog, Tupac, and a backpack full of snacks (mostly “Knacker” biscuits and bread), Ricky flees into the thick New Zealand wilderness—the “bush.” He thinks he can survive on his own like a true outlaw, but as the chapter ends, it’s clear he is way out of his depth.
Film Analysis: Themes and Techniques
Symbolism: “Another Door”
The title is a play on the phrase “When one door closes, another opens.” Bella’s death closed the door on Ricky’s happy home life, but his choice to run away opens a new “door” into the wild. It symbolizes a transition from childhood safety to a dangerous adult world.
Character Development
We see two very different ways of dealing with grief:
- Hec shuts down and pushes people away.
- Ricky acts out and runs away.
The “Inciting Incident”
In storytelling, this chapter contains the second inciting incident. While Bella’s death was the tragedy, Ricky’s decision to run away is the “point of no return.” Once the barn is on fire and Ricky is in the woods, the adventure truly begins.
Comedy vs. Drama
Note how Waititi uses humour even in this sad chapter. Ricky’s “fake death” is meant to be serious to him, but the way he clumsily sets the fire and his poorly written note are funny to the audience. This is a key part of the film’s style: it finds the jokes even in the middle of a crisis.
Questions:
- What does the letter that Ricky reads out say?
- What alternatives does Ricky come up with?
- What plan does Ricky come up with to get away from the welfare people?
- Describe what happens during Ricky’s plan.