Displaying items by tag: Melina Vidler

LOVE IN BLOOM

Australia, 2022, 83 minutes, Colour.

Susie Abromeit, Candice Hill, Julian Haig, Jason Wilder, Melina Vidler, Artin John, Monette Lee, Chanika Desilva, Stephen Tandy, Lin Yip.

Directed by Rogue Rubin.

Love and flowers, recipe for romantic comedies.

This film is from Stephen Jaggi, prolific producer of romance films, his company based in Queensland, and production, filming and postproduction in Queensland.

He was quite prolific in this kind of romantic comedy/drama in the first half of the 2020s. And this film could serve as a blueprint for the formula of many of them: open in the United States with a character in trouble, professional ambitions, difficulties with boyfriend, find an opportunity for her to go to Australia, be charmed by the surroundings, the friendly people, but misunderstandings with the man who turns out to be the handsome hero, working together, falling in love…

And this is what happens here. The young woman, floral expert, good business prospects in the US, boyfriend doctor who is caught up in his own ambitions. Her sister is in Australia, about to be married, but on a program with her fiance and their being stranded. Off to Australia, misunderstandings with the local vet, finding that he is her potential brother-in-law’s best friend, finding accommodation with the cosiest elderly couple seen on film, Mr and Mrs Poppy, their wonderful estate, the gardens, the range of flowers…

The heroine and the vet have to work together with all the planning for the wedding, she discovering inspiration with the local flowers, he gradually falling in love, encouraged by the cosy elderly couple, the arrival of the about to be a married couple, the wedding, the possibilities for the young woman to have success with an offer back in the United States, but, love not only blooms, it flourishes…

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?