Displaying items by tag: Martin Sacks

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU

Australia, 2024, 114 minutes, Colour.

Melina Vidler, Marta Düsseldorp, Albert Mwangi, Dustin Clare, Martin Sacks, Celine O'Leary.

Directed by Kelly Schilling.

The basic story for this film is based on the life experiences of the writer-directors, Kelly Schilling.

This is very much a South Australian film, a road film, the highways and byways of South Australia, towns, homes, caravan parks, whole range of scenery…

And, it is a mother-daughter film, tensions between the two, the focus on the young girl, Chloe, her growing up, her eventually leaving home, dire experiences in the city, her being rescued by a migrant from Africa, suspicions of him, but eventually relying on him.

Melina Vidler plays the daughter, Albert Mwangi is engaging as the African. But, with Marta Dusseldorp in the cast, it is not surprising that she dominates the film, wild at times, seriously alcoholic, defiantly exuberant, many times impossible.

So, the film is a study of characters, their interactions, dependence and independence, love and difficulties in loving. There are some strong supporting characters including Martin Sacks, previously in the relationship with the mother, caring for the daughter, their going back to rely on him and his help. There is also the caring aunt and, passing stranger, the Cowboy, who brings in a sexual element.

Much of the behaviour of the central character is exasperating but, realising that is what life is like, the audience will be living in hope for the irresponsible mother, for the put upon daughter – and the relationship with the gentlemanly African.

1. The opening, the birth, Chloe and her mother, bonding, the interdependence? The title?
2. South Australian setting, the city, the towns, the countryside, caravan parks, orchards, Homestead’s…? The musical score?
3. Chloe’s story, her birth, with her mother, growing up, the departure of Stevo, mother and daughter dancing, Chloe leaving home, unwilling, her mother’s urging?
4. Two years later, Chloe, in the street, battered, the man and his aggression, Dalu watching, his punching Dalu, taking Chloe away?
5. Chloe, her age, with her mother, her mother’s alcoholism, tantrums, the bath, laughing? Pat, her aunt, angry? The decision to leave? Chloe getting the car, her friend, his support?
6. Dalu, playing the drums, in the street, Chloe and her missing the bus, sitting, remembering, his memory? His attitude, back story, student, visa, the arranged marriage and the wife taking the money, his search for jobs, the photo in his wallet, Chloe’s suspicions, the final story of his identity, name, financial support of his sister-in-law, promise to his brother?
7. Chloe and her hesitations, unwilling to trust, always suspicious? Dalu, agreeable? Travelling together, the meal, the assailant, coming to the caravan, setting it alight, her money being burnt?
8. The time on the road, friends, meals, her mother? Going with her mother, the scenic route, the car broken down, Chloe attacking Ddalu, his walking away, the spending the night, his returning, moving the car?
9. Dalu, the prospect of a job, going to the address, the angry woman, their driving away? Stevo, relationship with Chloe, the past, welcoming them, accommodation, food?
10. The relationship between Dalu and Chloe, the attraction, her suspicions, the sexual encounter, the consequences?
11. Sharon, her age, experiences, depending on Chloe, the clashes with Pat? Driving away, her tantrums, on the scenic road? The bar, her encounter with Cowboy, the bonding, her leaving? Going to Stevo, the past, the sexual encounter? Her anger, leaving?
12. Pat coming to her rescue, taking her away, the issue of letting Chloe go, Cowboy, his visits, her collapse, hospital, running away, breaking the alcohol bottles, Dalu finding her, saving her? Urging Chloe to go? With Cowboy, dry?
13. Chloe, the clash with Dalu, Stevo, the passport, the information, his leaving? Her finding him, the words of her mother, the bond with da loo? His wise words, her future?

THE SURVIVORS

Australia, 2025, 6X 50, colour.

Charlie Vickers, Yerin Hat, Robyn Malcolm, Damian Garvey, Eloise Rothfield, Miriama Smith, Johnny Carr, Martin Sacks, Jessica De Gouw, Thom Green, Benedict Hardie, Catherine McClements, Don Hany, Julian Weeks, Jaime Ureta, Ian Bliss.

Directed by Cherie Nolan, Ben C. Lucas.

The survivors is a television series based on a novel by Jane Harper, a well-respected Australian novelist, with film versions of her two films, The Dry and its sequel and the Dried 2.

This reviewer had read The Survivors. The screenplay is well-written, bringing all the characters to life, all the main episodes and interactions from the novel are on the screen. The casting is excellent, and satisfying for readers of the novel.

The setting is the Tasmanian Coast photographed spectacularly, a motif throughout the film, especially storms and high waves and danger. The focus is on the town, where everybody knows each other, experiencing a tragedy 15 years earlier, a rescue boat overturned as it sought to help a stranded teenager on the cliffs. At the same time, a 14-year-old girl had also disappeared, her body never recovered.

The rescued young man, Ciaran, returns home to his parents, his severe mother, an excellent performance by Robyn Malcolm, and his father moving into dementia, also an excellent performance from Damian Garvey. Ciaran is played by Charlie Vickers. He is married to a wife of Korean origin who had also grown up in the town.

There is resentment towards Ciaran who has been absent for 15 years. There is also the family, mother and sister, of the girl who disappeared – and a strong performance from Catherine McCammon’s as the mother. The members of this cast include the local restaurant owner who son what was died in the accident, his resentful grandson, another brother, a lecturer visiting, and a young woman working in the restaurant who was investigating the story of the girl who disappeared. Early in the piece she is murdered – and the film works well as a murder mystery, a success of range of suspicious characters, the establishment of alibis, a dramatic revelation of the murder at the end.

Well worth watching in itself – and satisfying for fans of Jane Harper’s work.

1. The novels by Jane Harper, the variety of settings, from The Dry to the Tasmanian Coast? Film versions? Television series? Australian characters, locations, imagery, language, relationships, crime?
2. The Tasmanian settings, the town, the coast, the beaches, the majestic cliffs, the caves? Homes, streets, restaurants? The sports club? The countryside to Tasmania? Hobart, the city, the prison? The musical score?
3. The adaptation of the novel, the key elements of plot, character? A successful presentation and interpretation of the novel? The satisfying casting? Performances?
4. The town, a melancholy history, everybody knowing each other? The background of 15 years earlier, the young men and their friendship, the parents, Brian has the sports coach, his sons, pride, captain and the boat, friendship with Toby, Julian and his running the cafe? Trish, her daughters, Olivia and the relationship with Keiran, Gabby, 14, her friendship with Mia? Keiran and his friendship with Sean and Ash? The series presenting each character distinctively, effect of cinema portraits for the interactions?
5. The episode, Keiran and the cave, the sudden storm, Toby and Finn in the boat, coming to his rescue, the boat overturning, their deaths? The effect on the families, the memories? Keiran being blamed for calling them to rescue him, resentme nts, especially his mother, his father urging him to go to Sydney?
6. The setup of the situation in the present, Liam, Toby’s son and his continued resentments against Keiran, staying with Verity, taking Keiran’s place in the family? His relationship with Julian? Ash, the relationship with Liv, his drug dealing? Friendship with Sean? Trish, by herself, her memories of Gabby, wanting her still alive, the issue of the backpack, throwing them into the sea to sew if the tide would bring them in, hopes for recovery of Gabby’s body? Trish and her moving to Melbourne, her return?
7. Keiran, married to Mia, their meeting in Sydney, the birth of Audrey? Keiran returning after so many years, people’s reactions and blame? The ambiguous behaviour of his mother? Her love of the baby? Brian, the setting in of dementia? Tensions within the house?
8. Brontë, photos, working at the restaurant, her project, investigating the past, specially Gabby’s disappearance, discussions with Mia? Drugs from Ash? Interviews with the various members of the town, her project, her body being found on the shore?
9. The screenplay, the variety of suspects for her murder, the buildup for each one, then the alibis, questioning motivations? Not giving so much attention to the actual killer, emerging more towards the end, in the final revelation and motivations?
10. The focus on Brian, the past, teacher, trainer, scenes of training the children? Love for Verity, her continued care? The dementia, on the beach, the lift home by Julian, the DNA from Bronte, his arrest, to Hobart, the accusations, his bewilderment? Keiran and his understanding of what really had happened? Verity, her continued support, the visit to Brian before he went to prison? The bail hearing and his return?
11. The character of Verity, tough-minded, her devotion to Finn, the accident, her resentment towards Keiran, making life hard, his father urging him to leave? His return, the difficulties, with each parent, interactions with Mia and his love for her, the relationship with liv, the final revelation that she was at the cave, that she called the boat, that he shielded her from any blame? The gradual revelation of this truth? Mia, upset, suspicious of the relationship, her behaviour?
12. The suspicions on Ash, the phone, live having taken Bronte’s phone, giving it in, Ash and the relationship, the phone offering him his alibi?
13. The author, his reputation, sacked from the University, writing the history of the town, Bronte’s admiration, sharing the photos with him? Mia, coming to see him, her admiration, his help, giving her the material, his pass and her reaction? The photos of his stalking? Interrogated by the police? Ash and his resentment because of the buying of the house, Ash in the garden, the author changing it, the men going into the shed to find the paint, the fight?
14. The buildup to the Memorial, the football match, the dedication of the club, the speeches by Julian and Verity, Trish coming with Liv and Mia, everybody present?
15. The police, and Verity, her single-mindedness, suspicions, behaviour, defending Bronte’s memory, the coming of her parents, the sadness, the evidence? Her assistant and his more sympathetic approach? The range of interrogations and questions, charges, evidence? Chris, the local policeman, earnest, the discussions, interviews, evidence, looking at the photos and surveillance clips? George, policeman of the time, the gradual revelation that he concealed the evidence of Bronte’s backpack and throwing it in the sea, talking with Verity, Trish and her upset – and her accosting him and Julian in the middle of the ceremony?
16. The further investigations, Bronte’s photo, her initials on the cave wall, indication of her presence? Keiran, going to the cave with the photo, wanting Ash to come but not able, going with Sean, the examination of the cave, the initial scratched out, Keiran’s gradual realisation, Sean and his behaviour, the struggle with Keiran, the digging up of the camera and the computer, the soil comparisons, focusing on Ash’s garden, the conclusion about Sean, the police going, his being arrested? Verity and Mia, concerned about Keiran, his eventually coming out? The arrest and interrogation of Sean?
17. The finale, Bronte’s parents, Trish with Liv, Ash and Liv, Mia and Keiran, Verity and Brian, walking along the shore, and the toast to Bronte?
18. A satisfying drama of relationships, a satisfying murder mystery and solution?

EMOH RUO

Australia, 1985, 93 minutes, Colour.

Joy Smithers, Martin Sacks, Philip Quast, Genevieve Mooey, Max Phipps, Jack Ellis, Bill Young.

Directed by Denny Lawrence.

Australians would know that the title of the film, Emoh Ruo, is Our Home spelt backwards. And, over the years, owning one’s own home is the Australian dream. (12 years later, one of the major film affirmations of Australians owning their own home despite difficulties were seen in the classic comedy, The Castle.)

The film opens with a family, parents and son, living on the coast, in a caravan park. The father is happy working on his motorboat. His wife is itching to move. And, there are the persuaders, especially with shonky deals.

When the move actually happens, the family finds themselves on the outer fringes of the city, difficult neighbours, the house not what they imagined. The husband begins to build a barbecue – which is the salvation of the family because when they decide to move out, the house literally collapses, but they move to the coast again and the barbecue takes off.  A successful business venture.

1. Australian comedy? The 1980s? Perennial?
2. The Australian family, realistic, satirical, foibles, gentle? Audiences identifying?
3. The Sydney settings, the beaches, the western suburbs, the city and authenticity, the coast? The interiors, caravan, new house? The musical score, variety, the songs? The title, Our Home in reverse, the Australian dream of the home, the heritage, the facts, tongue in cheek treatment, advertising, dealers, loans, aspirations, the effect?
4. The opening, Australia, Margaret, York, Tregado and the effect? Les and the ads? The effect on people?
5. Des and Terri, the Harper site, the caravan park, the family, oversee, the showers, the barbecue and the rain? The transition to the suburbs, the Jerry built house, the difficulties, furniture, the final collapse?
6. Des and Terri, the relationship, Des and the motorboat, his work, Terri and her aspirations? Jack, part of the family?
7. The pressure to buy a home, Sam Tregado and his pressures? Des, not wanting to move, the boat? Terri, wanting to move, the tension between them?
8. Des’s decision, selling the boat, the house, the move, the outer suburbs, difficulties with the neighbours?
9. The difficulty of settling in, not the Australian dream, difficulties between husband and wife, Des and his building the barbecue?
10. Moving to the happy ending, moving out of the house, the collapse, the saving of the family, and the prosperity with the new barbecue?