Tuesday, July 12, 2011

A perfect Australian movie

Over the weekend I watched a beautiful movie, and the best part, was that it was filmed in Australia.

I really love watching Australian movies, I think that they represent our country beautifully, and Richard Gray’s, Summer Coda does, just that.

A film starring a bevy of Australian actors tells the melancholy start to Heidi’s (Rachael Taylor) journey from Nevada back to Mildura for a visit to a home and family she’s never known. As she hitchhikes along the sunburnt highway, she meets Michael (Alex Dimitriades) and after a number of misguided events she finds herself being welcomed into his home on the stunning orange groves of country Australia with an eclectic bunch of fruit pickers, who each have wonderful performances and stories to share.

What unfolds is a beautiful representation of Australian life, with the trademark humour, laidback lifestyle and approach to living in the country. She works on the farm, builds relationships with the people on the land, and tries to find closure in a life that she lived so distantly from.

I don’t want to give any details away that will ruin the story, but it is a very captivating film portraying the hardships of loss, and what can happen when you take a chance in life.

It was very refreshing to watch such a lovely movie, which had elements of home; highway signs that I actually knew the names of, flies buzzing over the fruit pickers tanned faces, flannelette shirts, and Australian money being passed over counters, with home-grown music blaring from the radio of a Ford truck.

I’m disappointed that this movie didn’t receive enough coverage; yet, Justin Bieber’s, had more hype than a 70s disco.

Images via here

2 comments:

  1. This looks like a great movie. I will be heading to the video shop to pick that bad boy up on my way home! Thanks for spreading the word, Australians should stand behind Australian creativeness, whether it be movies, music or art.

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