Hatred for Leaf Bloweers is a Global phenomenon!!!
Cate Blanchett’s numerous rants about them have become a viral meme!
Hugh Grant hates them, as does Ricky Gervais, Teri Hatcher and Danny Devito!
Most people I pitch this idea to immediately express a loathing for LB’s and many of the cast and crew who volunteered their time and energy to make the trailer were simply motivated by their hatred of the bloody things!
The Guardian even wrote a piece about them. Hating LBs is very zeitgeisty rn.
This story is an analogy of contemporary global society. Romily is the current status quo of ‘live to work’ or ego lead / narcissistic approach to life and planet earth. She’s a consumerist capitalist (but in denial). She rails against the injustices of the world but instinctually she’s of the same beast she just doesn’t realise it. She’s of the ‘God complex’ (read Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari if you haven’t already) the world is there for her to take whatever she wants.
Her Daughter Eva is the younger ‘woke’ generation inheriting this mess and realising already that she doesn’t want that. She wants to have a nice life that’s not built around her personal identity. Eva is ‘work to live’ - less is more / money and material success are not her goals. She has grown up in a more open, inclusively minded world and one where sustainability is the key consideration.
Danny (Dam Native), on the other hand, is of the old world - he has Kaitiakitanga. He also has ambitions, however has tasted fame and it didn’t serve him well in the long run so now he prefers a more moderate approach. He’s ‘10 years sober’ and it’s all about a sustainable quality life for him.
The therapist is the good coach (the angel on Rom’s shoulder) and the Publisher is the bad coach (the devil). The Police Detective is looking for truth and justice - the endless pursuit of which, in an increasingly mad world, makes him crazy.
At the end of this story Rom has picked the dark path and becomes everything she hates or was originally rallying against (selfish / quick fix Leaf Blowers the Jet skis of the suburbs). She’s now both the perpetrator and the Reporter covering the craziness.
Can she redeem herself in a Sequel or Season Two?