Goodbye Pork Pie

In Kaitaia, spring 1978, Gerry Austin, nicknamed Blondini, steals a wallet and uses the cash and a driver’s license to rent a bright yellow Mini. With no plan beyond wandering, he heads south toward Auckland. The car becomes the catalyst for a cross-country spree.

In Auckland, John tries to persuade his girlfriend Sue to stay with him, but fails to win her over. His attempt to salvage the relationship sets the stage for a broader escape to Invercargill. The tension between personal life and a roadbound plan weighs on both men.

While searching for transport, John intervenes when Gerry nearly gets fined for not wearing a seat belt. Grateful, Gerry offers John a ride for part of the way. The two men form an uneasy alliance that kicks off their shared journey.

The pair stop for petrol in northern Waikato but drive off without paying, drawing police attention. They scramble to stay ahead as the heat tightens around them. This petty theft marks the start of a pattern that defines their reckless road trip.

Gerry and John pick up Shirl, a virgin traveling to Wanganui, and Gerry bets he can alter her status before they reach the city. They keep stealing petrol in the central North Island, triggering a motorcycle pursuit. They avoid arrest by driving into a car wrecker, continuing their odyssey.

Arriving in Wellington, Mulvaney, an old associate of John, funds them with money and drugs in exchange for parts of the car. Gerry reunites with Shirl at Mulvaney's garage, cementing their makeshift crew. The trio prepares for the Interislander crossing.

As dawn breaks, Gerry runs a red light and they are chased by police through central Wellington. They evade capture by driving through Wellington railway station and stowing the Mini in an empty boxcar being shunted toward the ferry. The escape marks a turning point as they cross to the South Island.

In Picton, the boxcar is attached to a train bound for Christchurch, and the trio turns the ride into a moving party, decorating the interior with Blondini branding. After a night of revelry, Gerry wins his bet with Shirl and feels the journey might end soon. They discover the wagon won't leave until that night, so they press on to Christchurch.

Stopping at a tearoom along the coast, they learn Shirl has been arrested for shoplifting and that a national manhunt is underway for the Blondini Gang. The Mini is pursued along the Lake Hawea corridor, and a policeman nearly catches them before a combine harvester blocks the road. Gerry stops to help the officer and mocks the radio chatter about the chase.

At Cromwell and later Dunedin, they meet Snout, a volatile character who buys Gerry’s flags and helps them dodge roadblocks. Gerry initially resists the superstition of the flags, but relents under John's urging to stay safe. Snout then tips off the police that they are heading for Invercargill.

In McNab, John is spotted by the police and drives off in the Mini, unaware that Gerry is hidden underneath. Gerry is eventually arrested, but escapes from the police car and leaps onto the fleeing Mini. The pursuit ends with a PIT maneuver that hurls him off the car, leaving John to press on toward Invercargill.

John arrives in Invercargill to a cheering crowd as the Blondini legend grows. Armed Offenders Squad shoot a hole in his petrol can, forcing a desperate sprint through a cemetery. The leaking petrol ignites and destroys the Mini as John reunites with Sue; police surround the scene and John surrenders, joking for the onlookers as he is taken away.