This was perhaps one of the worst films ever given the green light in galactic history. Having said that, there were redeeming qualities.
The first 15 or 20 minutes were like an 80s mood music video. Since I love the 80s sound and the picturesque settings of both coastal California and Australia, I didn't mind. But I was starting to wonder when any plot development would begin.
Since I'm a writer and always dreamed of being wealthy like this main character, I enjoyed seeing his Mercedes and his hotel suite, and the way he was able to effortlessly fly first class, and tip bellboys.
The lead actor John Waters is apparently a big deal in Australia and partially because of this film. I never heard of him before or since. The film was about an Australian playwright/screenwriter who had been living in the U.S.for 10 years.
I didn't notice the trademark accent with this guy, so I figured that he is supposed to have lost it after having been away for a while. But if you look up the actor's bio., he's not even Australian. He's an English guy who moved to Australia when he was 20. So that detracted from the Australian feel of things.
Anyways, you see endless melancholic footage of him drifting through the damp streets of Melbourne or smoking in his suite. You know from some bad dialog back in L.A. that he wants to stop running from something and patch up the past.
Turns out he was an alcoholic and neglectful husband and father of one small daughter. Now he has quit drinking and lost his writing muse. (Writers are notorious for needing the stimulant of either a drink or a woman to keep their creative juices flowing.) He tries to get back with his ex and she intelligently rejects the idea. This actress did a fine job. She explains that he is who he is and the hurt they caused each other has permanently altered their course. There's no return path. He's devastated by the rejection.
We later find out that he's very cynical about his work. He explains in a press conference that he writes a play and emotionally abandons it afterward, since other people rewrite it and act it out through their own interpretations.
So he's a broken spirit with no passion for his work, no booze, and no family. There is absolutely no character development to explain how he became an enormously creative, deep thinking person to begin with. He seems like a nice enough guy, but we don't have a compelling reason to care about him. One Australian reviewer said the character even approached resolution with his wife from a self-centered position.
The best part of the film by far, is when he tries to help his old writing partner who still lives in Melbourne and never made it. This guy is filled with self doubt, and our lead selflessly helps him find confidence and rhythm.
This John Waters is stunningly good looking. He looks almost exactly like Mel Gibson, but he does a good job of showing inner turmoil with his facial expressions.
The plot is incredibly slow. You could say that everyday life is also slow, so this was true to life. But a movie is not a documentary. It's supposed to entertain and this one doesn't.
There are too many scenes of this guy feeling sorry for himself and using others as a soundboard to vent his regrets. Booooring.
At some point a huge secret is revealed and we are forced to reevaluate our opinion of him and his predicament. The secret is a bit heavy-handed to say the least. Talk about "stacking the deck." I would have liked to have seen more external shots of Melbourne landscape, maybe one cathartic emotional breakdown scene, although a few came close, and more meaningful flashbacks. There were a few poorly produced black-and-white flashbacks that told nothing of who he had really been.
Some nice moments and efforts, but lacking depth, execution, and entertainment value.
The first 15 or 20 minutes were like an 80s mood music video. Since I love the 80s sound and the picturesque settings of both coastal California and Australia, I didn't mind. But I was starting to wonder when any plot development would begin.
Since I'm a writer and always dreamed of being wealthy like this main character, I enjoyed seeing his Mercedes and his hotel suite, and the way he was able to effortlessly fly first class, and tip bellboys.
The lead actor John Waters is apparently a big deal in Australia and partially because of this film. I never heard of him before or since. The film was about an Australian playwright/screenwriter who had been living in the U.S.for 10 years.
I didn't notice the trademark accent with this guy, so I figured that he is supposed to have lost it after having been away for a while. But if you look up the actor's bio., he's not even Australian. He's an English guy who moved to Australia when he was 20. So that detracted from the Australian feel of things.
Anyways, you see endless melancholic footage of him drifting through the damp streets of Melbourne or smoking in his suite. You know from some bad dialog back in L.A. that he wants to stop running from something and patch up the past.
Turns out he was an alcoholic and neglectful husband and father of one small daughter. Now he has quit drinking and lost his writing muse. (Writers are notorious for needing the stimulant of either a drink or a woman to keep their creative juices flowing.) He tries to get back with his ex and she intelligently rejects the idea. This actress did a fine job. She explains that he is who he is and the hurt they caused each other has permanently altered their course. There's no return path. He's devastated by the rejection.
We later find out that he's very cynical about his work. He explains in a press conference that he writes a play and emotionally abandons it afterward, since other people rewrite it and act it out through their own interpretations.
So he's a broken spirit with no passion for his work, no booze, and no family. There is absolutely no character development to explain how he became an enormously creative, deep thinking person to begin with. He seems like a nice enough guy, but we don't have a compelling reason to care about him. One Australian reviewer said the character even approached resolution with his wife from a self-centered position.
The best part of the film by far, is when he tries to help his old writing partner who still lives in Melbourne and never made it. This guy is filled with self doubt, and our lead selflessly helps him find confidence and rhythm.
This John Waters is stunningly good looking. He looks almost exactly like Mel Gibson, but he does a good job of showing inner turmoil with his facial expressions.
The plot is incredibly slow. You could say that everyday life is also slow, so this was true to life. But a movie is not a documentary. It's supposed to entertain and this one doesn't.
There are too many scenes of this guy feeling sorry for himself and using others as a soundboard to vent his regrets. Booooring.
At some point a huge secret is revealed and we are forced to reevaluate our opinion of him and his predicament. The secret is a bit heavy-handed to say the least. Talk about "stacking the deck." I would have liked to have seen more external shots of Melbourne landscape, maybe one cathartic emotional breakdown scene, although a few came close, and more meaningful flashbacks. There were a few poorly produced black-and-white flashbacks that told nothing of who he had really been.
Some nice moments and efforts, but lacking depth, execution, and entertainment value.
