Displaying items by tag: Luke Bracey

THE TRAVELLERS

Australia, 2025, 97 minutes, Colour.

Luke Bracey, Bryan Brown, Susie Porter, Nicholas Hammond, Celia Massingham.

Directed by Bruce Beresford.

Bruce Beresford has been directing films for over 50 years, achieving success in Australia, for instance Breaker Morant, and overseas, Tender Mercies and Oscar-winner, Driving Miss Daisy. His previous Australian film was Ladies in Black.

This time he has focused on two significant themes, firstly, the Australian who goes overseas and the significance of returning; secondly, ageing parents and the issue of care.

This film was made in Western Australia, set mainly in a country town, with glimpses of Perth and some glimpses of Sydney Harbour for a touch of glamour.

Luke Bracey plays Stephen, a talented set designer, especially for operas, and based in Europe. His mother is dying and so he returns home, always challenged by his married sister, Nikki, played by Susie Porter, but confronting his father who has always had mixed feelings about his son and his artistic talent. And, of course, one good reason for seeing the film is the performance by Bryan Brown as Fred, always recognisable, always Australian, always the touch of the sardonic.

Stephen is returning to the town where he grew up and from which he escaped. He had not always been accepted and there are various Aussie taunts about his artistic career. However, he has had several relationships in the past and they surface again. While two of his schoolfriends, well not exactly friends, local yobbos, even turn out to be far more enterprising than we might have imagined, developing their vineyards and winemaking.

But, most audiences will identify in several ways with the issue of the death of the mother, the ageing father, his past as a travelling salesman, his growing carelessness about looking after himself, the mess of his house, and the amusing scene where he showers wearing his clothes saving time by washing body and clothes at the same time! And, of course, the issue of going into care.

This theme is a perennial, certainly not new in films. Many might remember Nonie Hazlehurst in the 2020 June Again, issues of age, care and dementia.

As with so many of Bruce Beresford’s films, they reach out to the wide audience, are on the wavelength of that wide audience, themes of interest, themes they can identify with, and with an underlying Australian optimism.

1. A Bruce Beresford film, based on his own experiences, made in his 80s? An older directors film and looking back?
2. The Australian tone of the film, the West Australian country town, the characters, the pub, opinions and industry, and the contrast with Sydney and its vistas, luxury homes, Opera? An sequences in Berlin, theatre and Opera? The importance of music, la Traviata?
3. Stephen, growing up in the country town, relationship with his sister and her family, his dying mother, the return to the town, the encounters with his father, the scenes with his mother in hospital, her death? His father’s house, untidy, eccentric, memory lapses, the newspapers, the baked beans in their 10 boiled, the shower with his clothes to do two jobs at once…?
4. Fred, a Bryan Brown character, voice, intonations, age, devotion to his wife, travelling salesman in the past, Stephens visit to connect with the woman, the indications of a relationship? Wanting to stay in his house, the attentions of his daughter and family, the grandchildren? Jokes? His reactions to Stephen, strained relationship in the past, Stephen and his artistic background?
5. Nicky, her character, in the family, her relationship with her father, her own family, travelling distance? The discussions after the funeral? Aged care issues? The going up to the top of the mountain, the view, the the conversation about the future?
6. The characters in the town, Stephen is going to school, the differences, his manner, the two brothers and their taunts, if the later change of heart, their work in the Vineyards, proposal to Stephen to join in business?
7. Stephen, the past relationship, going to Perth, the night with the friend? Back home, the selling of the house, the estate agent, the past relationship, the present relationship? Possibilities for the future?
8. The pressure from Berlin, the design of the Opera, the sketches, his work, his father’s taunts? Going back to Berlin, the opera, success? The offer for future work in Germany?
9. Christopher, the encounter with Stephen, Christopher and his background, friends, theatre, opera, the visit to Sydney, the luxury house? The possibility of an opera in Sydney?
10. Fred, moving out of the house, acceptance, going to live near Nikki and the family, hopes for the future?
11. Stephen, the possibility for working in Australia? His future?

MERCY ROAD

Australia, 2023, 86 minutes, Colour.

Luke Bracey, voice of: Toby Jones.

Directed by John Curran.

On Mercy Road there is no mercy.

This is a very intense film, focusing on a man driving a car through the night, his momentarily getting out of the car, but the camera inside the car, focusing on the man, on the dashboard, on his face, on the continued phone calls and his responses. He is played, even more intensely, by Australian actor with international career, Luke Bracey.

The audience has to pay attention, listening to the man and his sometimes confused outbursts, the range of phone calls he gets, commanding sum to be listened to, cancelling others. We gather that he has committed a crime, that a man, business connection, husband of his ex-wife, has been killed. But, his more frantic about the disappearance of his young daughter.

In the pounding score reinforces this frantic atmosphere, often desperate.

By contrast with the anxieties of the driver, there is the caller whose voice is very calm, controlling, giving advice, driving directions, information about his daughter, about the dead man, about the ex-wife, seemingly detached, called in to handle situations. And the voices that are British actor, Toby Jones.

Filming inside a car has been a test of many directors, an expert was a bus tourist Army from Iran. But, there was also the British drama, Locke, with Tom Hardy behind the wheel, and a desperate situation.

The phone calls heighten the tension. Apart from the calmly sinister voice of the mediator, there are phone calls from community services concerning the daughter, some contact with his ex-wife, and, somewhat out of the blue, business partners expecting him to turn up for work. They have a cumulative effect.

Some audiences may find this a drive to claustrophobic and intense. On the other hand, it is a bold experiment by American director, John Curran, Chappaquidik,, The Painted Veil, who spent some time in Australia and directed films like Praise and Tracks.

1. The title, the location, the tone?
2. Australian production, the Australian star, voices? Of the menacing voice of Toby Jones? The musical score? Tone, intensity?
3. The situation, the father, searching for his daughter, relationship with his ex-wife, with her husband, the business deals, his contracts and commitments? The confrontation with the husband? The threat to his daughter?
4. The film within the car, his momentary stepping outside the car, the camera within, the focus on the driver, his face, the spaces of the car? The phone? The intensity of the pace, the editing?
5. The character of the driver, his background, favours, drinking, the broken marriage, his daughter, business partner? The crime, the murder, driving, getting away, the night?
6. The voice, sinister, controlling, knowing everything about the driver, his daughter, statements of detachment? Being present in crises? Control? The psychological pressure, the conversations? Threats and menace yet calm? The directions, the turns, the destinations? The information about his wife, her husband, the death? The taking of the daughter?
7. The intensity of pressure, the phone calls, his business associate expecting him to turn up, putting them off? The voice control, excepting calls, refusing calls? The social welfare calls, the information, the appeals? His wife? Her following his directions? Her fate?
8. The buildup to saving his daughter, communication with his daughter, his crime, sense of guilt, defiance? Desperation?