One day, Jarrod gives Lily an invitation to his "dress as your favourite animal" party to pass along to her workmate Jenny, who throws it away.

The party is sparsely attended with what are apparently teenage and adult customers of Jarrod's store, all dressed extravagantly in animal costumes.

Along the way, Damon offers them apples, which will become the representation of Jarrod and Lily in several claymation scenes throughout the film.

It becomes clear his father's favourite son was Jarrod's brother Gordon, an accomplished athlete.

Jarrod spends his time trying to win his dad's affection and training for his impending fight with Eric.

Jarrod learns from his friend, computer geek Mason, that Eric will be in town the next day.

Lily and Vinny continue up the hill where the little girl reveals that Gordon did not die saving a child from a fire as Jarrod had said, but by committing suicide throwing himself off the cliff.

It was shot entirely in New Zealand, in and around Wellington City and Porirua, during 25 days in October and November 2005 with a crew of 35 workers.

[2] The soundtrack to Eagle vs Shark features New Zealand artists The Phoenix Foundation, Age Pryor, The Reduction Agents, and Tessa Rain, along with M. Ward, Devendra Banhart and British group The Stone Roses.

At Cannes 2006 it was announced that Miramax Films had purchased the North American theatrical rights after watching a five-minute trailer.

[9] Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal commented that "...'Eagle vs Shark' has its own distinctive style, partly thanks to whimsical little interludes of animation, but mainly because it ties blithe absurdity to a rock bed of emotional truth.

"[10] Jim Ridley of The Village Voice noted the dissimilarity to Napoleon Dynamite, saying that Napoleon "looks like Cary Grant next to the hero of this Kiwi quirk-a-thon: a hulking, sullen creep named Jarrod whose goony sulking, petulant selfishness and dweeby videogame obsession somehow work like Spanish fly on mousy burger-flipper Lily.

[1] This was preceded by a series of free screenings, some with a Q&A with Taika Waititi and Loren Horsley, in certain cities to gain a word-of-mouth buzz.