Australian actor Essie Davis (The Babadook, Babyteeth) cements her ability to carry a movie with The Justice of Bunny King, in which she plays a mother fighting like hell to get her children out of the welfare system. Directed by Gaysorn Thavat and written by Sophie Henderson, the pace of Bunny King seldom relents, complimented by the appropriately queasy camera work of cinematographer Ginny Loane. Bunny King’s story and motivation will resonate with parents from all walks of life, but The Justice of Bunny King is necessary viewing for anyone working (or interested in working) in social work as a reminder to practice empathy for the parents jumping through flaming, jagged, and impossibly high hoops to reunite with their children.
Bunny (Essie Davis) illegally cleans car windows at busy intersections during the day, and cooks and cleans to earn her room and board from her sister (Toni Potter) and brother-in-law (Erroll Shand) at night. In addition to this ceaseless manual labor, in order to be reunited with her children after a stint in prison, Bunny must find housing for her family despite a housing shortage and discriminatory real estate practices. She has a teenage son and a school-aged daughter with developmental disabilities, whom Bunny promises an elaborate birthday party with foolish optimism.
Just when things begin to look up for Bunny, she catches and confronts her brother-in-law for sexually preying on her niece and his stepdaughter, Tonyah (Thomasin McKenzie). Their altercation results in Bunny staying with a co-worker’s family and slipping further away from her goal of reunification in time for her daughter’s birthday. With less and less hope to get her kids back the “right” way, Bunny starts to explore more unorthodox means. “I’ve tried all the other ways. I’m out of ideas,” she laments as her actions grow more dangerous.
Bunny is far from perfect and it can be frustrating to watch her make decisions that could keep her children away from her even longer. But they are human decisions – whether protecting her niece, visiting the children she misses desperately, or avenging her daughter’s abuse as an infant. Unfortunately, it gets to the point that Bunny completely loses sight of how her actions affect (and potentially traumatize) her children, instead pursuing the fantasy of a birthday party with her daughter and reuniting by any means necessary. Multiple children’s welfare employees tell Bunny their “job is to keep your children safe.” Though they don’t say the second part of the sentence out loud, it stings and hurts Bunny just the same: “from you.”
In Gaysorn Thavat’s The Justice of Bunny King, good intentions and brief moments of levity only lead to more grim consequences, contributing to a snowball of bad decisions as the film hurtles through its brisk 101-minute run time. Comparable in tone to the Safdie Brothers’ bleak films of everyday tragedies, Bunny King strongly sympathizes with a flawed woman (partly thanks to a flawless, engrossing performance from Essie Davis) dealing with abuse of all kinds, the cycle of poverty, and the bureaucratic child welfare system.
What kind of film collection would this title be suitable for?
The Justice of Bunny King would be suitable for a film collection that primarily includes films that humanize social issues, as well as collections that host dramas, independent films, and international films.
How would this film make your organization stand out?
The Justice of Bunny King is an underseen but gripping title that would make your organization stand out for screening an original, independent title that touches on important social themes, featuring up-and-coming stars Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace, Jojo Rabbit) and Essie Davis (The Babadook, Babyteeth).
What academic subjects would this film be suitable for?
The Justice of Bunny King would be suitable for sociology and social work classrooms, as it explores how different factors (like abuse and poverty) can affect the individual’s ability to function healthily within society.