STARS: NATHAN PHILLIPS, LUKE CARROLL, LISA FLANAGAN, TOM BUDGE, SIMON WESTAWAY, CELIA IRELAND & KEVIN HARRINGTON

DIRECTED: Paul Goldman

story

Based on the novel “Deadly, Unna?” by Phillip Gwynne who wrote the screenplay in conjunction with Paul Goldman. The story covers the few days in the life of young footballer Gary Black, “Blackie” (Nathan Phillips) his family and the community, in the small fishing town of Prospect Bay, during the lead up to the Grand Final of the local district Australian Rules Football competition. Half of the team are “Mission Boys”, aboriginals who live out of town. Kevin Harrington (Kevin in “Sea Change”) takes the role of “Arks” (”if I’ve arksed youse once I’ve arksed youse a thousand times..”) a archetypical small town club coach. Luke Carroll plays “Dumby” - one of the Mission Boys - a good mate of Gary’s and a promising footballer with both the potential and commitment to make it to the most senior level of the game.

The team has not been in the finals for many years and a lot of hopes are now hanging on Arks and his boys as this is the biggest thing to hit the town since a place in the “Tidy Towns” competition many years ago. This brings a level of drama into the film that is heightened by some pretty serious domestic violence in Gary’s family and a significant level of simmering racial tension. The racial situation takes a serious turn when the team’s ruckman is arrested, leading to Arks persuading Gary to take on this playing position.

This is a huge task and well beyond Gary’s experience and abilities but he accepts the challenge. When the aboriginal players decide not to play in the big game the team’s chances of success look even slimmer. Racial tension is further exacerbated by the budding romance between Gary and Clarence (Lisa Flanagan), one of the aboriginal girls, who shows a wisdom beyond her years.

This simple teenage love story underlies the plot. Gary is not your average knockabout teenager and dreams of a better life in the future provided he can complete his education. His battered mother recognizes this in Gary and there is a poignant warmth in the relationship between the mother and her obviously special and precious son.

Dad can read the emotional links and obviously resents Gary’s wish to improve himself, and Gary’s relationship with his mother, and is dismissive of him.

Several other local characters impinge on the story with interesting dramatic subplots and the tension steadily builds as Grand Final day approaches. An eleventh hour change of heart by the Mission Boys sees them playing. Things really get hectic at the post game celebrations and the action and drama escalates.

Extras

These are minimal - a choice of Dolby Digital 5.1 or Dolby Stereo, Scene Selection and Trailers. With the great interest that this film and its Australian contemporaries have aroused it is a shame that there is not some additional background material provided on the film itself and the underlying issues.

Overall

This was an official selection for the Sundance, Edinburgh and Melbourne Film Festivals. Whilst I have referred to drama and tension, this film also contains some good comedy moments, particularly with Arks and his quaint turn of phrase and enthusiasm, and a credible romance.

The characters are well cast and the performances are very good throughout. The film presents a caricature of a small and dysfunctional outback town with all the depressing and seemingly insoluble social problems that booze, isolation and inter-racial antipathies can bring and, together with Gary’s situation, conveys a depressing sense of hopelessness. But, in the end, there is a modicum of hope and we are left to ponder what is in truth a collection of contemporary social issues, none of which have easy solutions. It is a compelling story and at the same time instructive, providing Australians with a window on themselves and their values.