TIFF 2023: The Convert Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

In terms of introspective character studies, The Convert doesn’t bring all that new to the table but its setting offers so much more interesting territory to navigate through. That being said, Guy Pearce is far from the worst choice as a guide. Delivering a strong performance, he still found himself consumed by the surrounding world and its various dynamics which proved to be far more interesting. A period piece taking place in a group of islands in the South Pacific that would later become New Zealand, the film is as beautiful as it is brutal and heartbreaking. Stuck in a war between two feuding Māori tribes, preacher Thomas Munro’s (Pearce) mission to provide religious support for an early 19th century British settlement in the middle of Māori territory became that much more complicated. Adding to his troubles were the settlement dynamics, trying to survive on rented land with limited resources, and their views on their neighbors. Once the film eventually moves away from the settlement and ventures out into the wild, it is at its best.

Having saved the life of a young woman named Rangimai (Ngatai-Melbourne), the daughter of Maianui (Te Maioha), saw Munro in his good graces. Witnessing plenty of violence and bloodshed firsthand between the feuding tribes, he and Rangimai’s ventured out on a mission to bring peace to the area. As he became increasingly entrenched with the Māori and their cultures and traditions, Munro must reconcile with the sins of his past as they threatened to put the credibility of he and his message in question. Going back and forth between Maianui and the more unhinged rival tribe leader, Akatarawa (Lawrence Makoare), his peace mission appeared to be near impossible. Steering though what was essentially a powder keg about to explode, diplomacy was perhaps not the most appropriate option and that they would have to settle it in their own way amongst themselves in order to forge a new path forward. From there, the battle was on and it was an intense one to watch, though one with occasional lapses in visibility. 

The best part of The Convert is of course Pearce’s stellar performance as Munro. Using his effortless charm and charisma, he creates a character that is easily compelling to watch and root for as a fish-out-of-water character who was merely a small piece of a much larger and more dangerous world. That larger world may be more interesting but the film still finds a decent balance between the two. Meanwhile, Pearce and Ngatai-Melbourne shared strong chemistry as the latter’s arc saw her grow and expand her horizons.

At the end of the day, The Convert is a solid period drama that won’t be everyone’s speed but beautiful locales and a stellar lead performance from Guy Pearce make it worth the watch.

*still courtesy of TIFF*

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.