Approached this one with caution after some iffy reviews, but shouldn't have worried.
David Caesar shows he can handle big cast, big story, big entertainment;not just the character-driven, quirky little films he does so well.
Bryan Brown shows there's still no better dinki-di larrikin than him. Sometimes it wears thin, but here, it;s just right. All the cast are at their best, especially Sam Neill, who plays completely against type delightfully. The two young stars are good too, and Felix Williamson all but steals the show as John Goodman's not-too-bright, but definitely too vicious sidekick.
The 1969 Sydney underworld setting is wonderfully captured (even to accurately having Hair playing at the Metro Theatre), and its great to here so many old songs, and old Aussie sayings, that are barely remembered (and no, hardly anyone had heard of pizzas here then, except in the lyrics of "That's Amore".)
The design and camerawork are eyecatching, and all in all, while its not the deepest Australian film ever, it's very entertaining.
David Caesar shows he can handle big cast, big story, big entertainment;not just the character-driven, quirky little films he does so well.
Bryan Brown shows there's still no better dinki-di larrikin than him. Sometimes it wears thin, but here, it;s just right. All the cast are at their best, especially Sam Neill, who plays completely against type delightfully. The two young stars are good too, and Felix Williamson all but steals the show as John Goodman's not-too-bright, but definitely too vicious sidekick.
The 1969 Sydney underworld setting is wonderfully captured (even to accurately having Hair playing at the Metro Theatre), and its great to here so many old songs, and old Aussie sayings, that are barely remembered (and no, hardly anyone had heard of pizzas here then, except in the lyrics of "That's Amore".)
The design and camerawork are eyecatching, and all in all, while its not the deepest Australian film ever, it's very entertaining.