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REVIEWS | FILM |
Ten Empty
Daniel Frederiksen, Geoff Morrell, Brendan Cowell. Directed by Anthony Hayes.
If Australian movies have taught us anything it’s that our country is one bleak place. Alcoholism, drug abuse, families in turmoil - is there any hope for our future?
If 'Ten Empty' is any indication, the answer is a resounding yes. Potentially downbeat material becomes hopeful and moving in the hands of first-time co-writer and director Anthony Hayes. Not only does his film prompt optimism for the future of our industry, it even made me, well, chuffed to be an Aussie.
Elliot (Frederiksen) leaves his comfortable urban existence to visit his family for the weekend. Once there he discovers his father's (Morrell) marriage to his mother's sister (Lucy Bell) is disintegrating, and his brother (Tom Budge) might be suicidal. Elliot's own hang-ups also emerge.
Hayes' direction is subtle, never hitting us over the head with plot, but letting personalities and pasts speak for themselves. He elicits superb performances from his ensemble, especially Morrell, who creates a three-dimensional character in a role that would shout 'overacting' to most actors. His screenplay, co-written by Brendan Cowell, contains scenes so realistic you nearly forget you're watching a film. Not bad for a first go.
But I don't want to oversell this film. I knew nothing going in, and came away deeply satisfied. It ain't easy to bring a tear to this jaded cynic's eye, but the film broke down all my defences. Forget it's Australian - 'Ten Empty' is a masterpiece any way you look at it.
David Faraker
'Ten Empty' opens nationally July 3.
The Band's Visit
Sasson Gabai, Ronit Elkabetz, Saleh Bakri, Khalifa Natour. Directed by Eran Kolirin.
“Once - not long ago - a small Egyptian police band arrived in Israel. Not many remember this … it wasn't that important.”
So begins 'The Band's Visit', a masterfully understated intro that sets the tone for the flick that follows. Sure, it's the sort of movie that grabs column ink and earns praise for its sensitive portrayal of race relations, but it's not about that. Not really.
Basically, 'The Band's Visit' - the tale of an Egyptian police band who take a wrong turn on their way to an Arab arts centre and somehow end up stranded in a small Israeli town - is a charming 'fish out of water' story, and it would still be that regardless of who the fish were or where the water was.
It's funny, but not in a foreign, indie movie, I'd-better-laugh-because-my-politically-correct-friends-are sort of way. It's just funny, period. There's some depth there, too, as the characters (particularly Sasson Gabai's stern-but-lovable Egytpian bandleader) hide hidden tragedies. But they're the sort of inner demons you might find in a Wes Anderson movie, as opposed to clichéd 'When will the fighting end?' concerns.
All told, 'The Band's Visit' might not be that important. Six months from now, you may not remember it. But today? You'll laugh heartily. What more could you ask for?
Rohan Williams
'The Band's Visit' is now showing.
Hancock
Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron. Directed by Peter Berg.
There's nothing quite as crippling as indecision.
Whether it's because of this indecision, or the have-cake / must-eat-cake urge, 'Hancock', which should have been Will Smith's latest blockbuster, is a bit of a disaster.
The basic premise seems like a recipe for a good time. Smith plays John Hancock, a drunk, dishevelled and thoroughly unlikeable superhero. The legendary Jason Bateman (of 'Arrested Development' fame) is a publicist who takes it upon himself to clean up Hancock's image, and Charlize Theron (who briefly played Bateman's girlfriend on 'Arrested Development'… oh, and she won an Oscar or something once, if I recall) plays the publicist's mysterious wife.
So why doesn't hilarity ensue? After a promising start, writer-director Peter Berg abruptly decides to make a drama. Suddenly, the idea of an alcoholic superhero isn't played for laughs anymore and we're expected to care about his redemption. Umm, no. Sorry.
The light, breezy tone disappears, and we get a convoluted back story most soap opera fans wouldn't be able to take seriously. There's still a laugh or two in amongst the orgy of violence and meaningful gazes, but it's too little, too late.
After a career defined by an ability to pick the right projects at the right times, 'Hancock' - the superhero satire that wasn't - is an embarrassing misstep for Big Willie.
Rohan Williams
'Hancock' is released nationally July 3.
Happy-Go-Lucky
Sally Hawkins, Alexis Zegerman, Eddie Marsan. Directed by Mike Leigh.
Mike Leigh could make films about paint drying, grass growing, or long-haul air travel and I'd still be riveted.
If you don't like the sound of Mike Leigh's 'Queuing' (coming soon to a fictional cinema near you!), then be grateful 'Happy-Go-Lucky' is as bright, shiny, and engaging as it is. After spending two hours in the company of Sally Hawkins et al, you'll have a hard time disguising the spring in your step and goofy grin on your face as you go on a cuddling rampage in your cinema foyer.
'Happy-Go-Lucky' is a film about Poppy (Hawkins, brilliant), an endearingly cheerful schoolteacher. After her bike is stolen, her only regret is that she didn't “get a chance to say goodbye”, but she decides to take driving lessons to ease her transport problems. While her humourless and authoritarian driving instructor Scott (Marsan, likewise) does his best to dent Poppy's spirit, nothing can keep her down.
The most amazing thing about 'Happy-Go-Lucky' is that Poppy's happiness is unconditional - she doesn't crack under the strain of smiling or unravel slowly as she realises the universe basically sucks. She's unapologetically positive and doesn't hinge her happiness on anyone or anything.
For all of Poppy's lightness, there's a maturity and depth to her character that really makes her likeable. The end result is a film with memorable characters, great performances and a take-home message we could all benefit from. It's so damn joyous it makes “feel-good” seem like an understatement. Twelve thousand bazillion stars from me.
Rowena Grant-Frost
'Happy-Go-Lucky' is now showing.
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