When I came across Gaysorn Thavat‘s film The Justice of Bunny King there was something so engaging about the movie’s poster I was drawn in. The vibrancy of the pink jack, shirt and title seemed so bright and alluring, the smile across Essie Davis‘s face giving a sense of warmth and hope. As the film started and Bunny was introduced, there was a deep resonating feeling that Bunny was not just a smiling face, but the embodiment of hope and warmth packaged within a fighter’s spirit. And while The Justice of Bunny King presents audiences with a mesmerizing character study on the undeterred spirit of motherhood, it takes a dark turn, examining a system seemingly design to prevent anyone from rising up – no matter how hopeful they are.
Pushing Back
The Justice for Bunny King opens on a crowded street, window washers cleaning the windows of random cars as they pass. One washer in particular, Bunny (Essie Davis), stands out in the crowd, her bright and peaceful eyes taking the opportunities for cash that she can, yet understanding of those that do not want to oblige. Both the film and Davis are immediately effective in creating this image of Bunny, a bit down on her luck but always hustling.
As she transitions from the crowded street to the local social services office, our perception of Bunny alters slightly, her bright and peaceful eyes taking on a deeply invested love, compounded by a deeply driven sense of urgency and desperation. We learn that Bunny has been separated from her children, and try as she might, she can not seem to satisfy the growing list of requirements to get them back. Her current and final goal is to obtain housing. Without it, her case can not be reviewed for completion, and in a rough housing market, opportunities are few and far between.
The Heart of the Film
The Justice of Bunny King is heartbreaking from start to finish. Yet, compassionate all the same. As viewers watch Bunny struggle to regain custody of her children in a system seemingly designed to keep her down, their empathy for Bunny only grows. Through all her successes and failures, many will find themselves cheering her on, even in her darkest mishaps, rather than finding fault in those around her.
There is a realism to Bunny that Thavat crafts brilliantly, and Davis executes flawlessly. Essie Davis delivers a heartbreakingly moving performance. She is the spirit and soul of the film – and the core of its success. While the narrative and script give her the words to say, she gives the film its heart. She is the impulsive and self-sacrificing mother whose desperation and unrelenting fighting drive encapsulates every aspect of the film and of our empathy. She is not flawless, yet she embraces her humanity and her faults.
The Justice of Bunny King creates a captivating and moving character study with Bunny, yet it is also a criticism of the environment she is placed within. She can not move forward without pieces, out of her control, falling into place. And try as she might, she is just another “deadbeat” mother coming into the facility to see her children, another slum coming to view an apartment, another criminal dictated by their past. And The Justice of Bunny King not only captures the system, but also the discriminatory practices that contribute to Bunny’s inability to move forward and reunite with her family. It is a hard watch at times and purposely frustrating, and as the film draws your empathy it also demands your awareness.
Conclusion
Yet, as much as this is a critic of the system and those who discriminate against those stuck in its grasp, The Justice of Bunny King also looks at the kindness of those who have little to give. There is a unifying feeling in these moments, a glimmer of hope that Bunny is not alone – that no one is ever truly alone – and that there just might be someone always ready to protect and defend.
Have you seen The Justice of Bunny King? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!
The Justice of Bunny King was released in theaters on Sept 23, 2022 and on VOD on Sept 30, 2022!
Watch The Justice of Bunny King
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