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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 12 October 2015

As reported through the media last week, 2015 has been a stellar year for Australian made films at the local box-office.  They reeled in $64.1m which, adjusted for inflation, is the highest total since 2001 (a year that had Moulin Rouge and Lantana).  Mad Max: Fury Road has been the biggest contributor with The Water Diviner, Last Cab To Darwin, Oddball and Blinky Bill also performing well.  That Sugar Film set its own record and is now our highest grossing Aussie documentary.

Despite those impressive numbers, one could also argue that the “glass is half empty.”  The $64.1m total represents less than 7% of total box-office receipts in Australia.  It’s become increasingly difficult to compete with the huge blockbusters coming out of the United States.  It boils down to marketing.  When you’re a small Aussie film with a tiny production budget, how can you compete when Marvel spends $200 million in marketing alone to promote their latest superhero movie?

One Aussie trying to make a difference is Devendra Gupta, a wealthy IT entrepreneur based in Sydney.  In 2013, he helped establish the Australian India Film Fund (AIFF) which aims to generate funding for “India-centric Australian films for a global audience.”  The idea makes perfect sense.  India has a huge film culture and produces more movies than any other country.  Widening the target audience will increase the film’s chances of being profitable.  More money equals more movies.

UnIndian is the AIFF’s first feature film and you don’t need to sift through the closing credits to find the names of the major investors.  The product placement is not subtle.  Will (Lee) teaches English language classes at the University of New South Wales.  Meera (Chatterjee) is single mum with a well-paying job at Cochlear.  A song used during the film includes the lyrics “come and fall in love with Sydney.”  Kudos to the New South Wales Government for getting that included.

It’s as cheesy as it sounds but UnIndian is still an entertaining romantic comedy.  Will and Meera come from different backgrounds but fate seems determined to bring them together.  How else can you explain them randomly bumping into each other 4 times during the film’s opening 20 minutes?  It’s not long before Will is able to convince Meera to take the plunge and go on a date.

Unfortunately, those around them are intent on making life as difficult as possible.  Meera’s parents are trying to push her into an arranged marriage with a wealthy Indian doctor (Brown).  Her young daughter (Sathi) is secretly trying to get in touch with her estranged father (Grover).  Will’s boss is threating to cut off funding to his successful English language program.  Things are getting messy.

The screenplay is formulaic (it even includes a racing to the airport scene) but the likeable cast more than compensate.  The film marks the acting debut of Australia cricket star Brett Lee who looks surprisingly relaxed.  The conversations shared between he and co-star Tannishtha Chartterjee are not over-scripted.  Supriya Pathak Kapur earns plenty of laughs as Meera’s stressing, overbearing mother and Arka Das also impresses as Will’s close friend.

Offering an insight into Indian culture here in Australia, UnIndian is simple and easy to enjoy.

You can read by chat with star Brett Lee by clicking here.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 05 October 2015

Darwan (Kingsley) is a quiet, unassuming guy who lives in New York City.  He was born and raised in India but is now an American citizen after seeking political asylum more than a decade ago.  Darwan is university educated but for a variety of reasons, he’s fallen back on two jobs that require a much lower skill set.  By day, he’s a driving instructor and by night, he’s a taxi driver.

His life outside of work is more complicated than he’d prefer.  Darwan is housing a group of illegal immigrants including his nephew, Preet (Nash).  They have to be very careful what they do and who they interact with.  Darwin is also facing pressure from his extended family to get married.  His sister believes she’s found the perfect woman, Jasleen (Choudhury), and plans for an arranged marriage have been put in motion.

Wendy (Clarkson) is a renowned book critic who has lived in New York her whole life.  Her own world is unravelling after learning that her husband (Weber) is having an affair with a younger woman and is seeking a divorce.  When she’s not crying, she’s venting.  Wendy has a lot that she’d like to get off her chest.  She’d also like to spend more time with her daughter (Gummer) who is now attending college in Vermont.

To come back to the film’s title… Wendy can’t drive up to Vermont because she doesn’t have a licence.  She’s always relied on New York City’s famous yellow taxis and intricate subway system.  It was her husband who did the driving if they ever need to travel long distances.  Having pushed back on the idea for decades, Wendy finally makes a rash, split-second decision to get some driving lessons.

By now, the path of this film should be quite clear.  After meeting by chance, Wendy enlists Darwan as her driving instructor.  The early lessons aren’t great.  The nervous Wendy is looking for any excuse to give up but Darwan is determined to get her to the finish line.  He uses his experience and calm, soothing voice to provide Wendy with the confidence she badly needs.  What develops between them is a little more than a friendship… but a little less than a relationship.

To use a simple metaphor, Learning To Drive is a film that contained all the right ingredients but something went wrong during the cooking process.  Isabel Coixet (Elegy, The Secret Life Of Words) is an acclaimed Spanish director who has picked up prizes at film festivals round the world.  Ben Kingsley (Sexy Beast) and Patricia Clarkson (Pieces Of April) are two terrific actors with extensive resumes. 

As a whole, it’s a film that feels insignificant.  There are glimpses of intrigue but we never get to know the characters well enough to care for them.  Wendy opens up a box with old family photos.  Darwan talks fleetingly about his life in India.  Unfortunately, these subplots are overshadowed by lengthier, less interesting scenes.  The driving lessons are repetitive and the fantasy sequences involving Wendy are a confusing distraction.  Further, not enough attention is given to Jasleen given her importance to the story.

Learning To Drive contains several well-intentioned messages but it lacks the detail and character interaction required to sell them.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 11 October 2015

This is the greatest story I’ve ever heard in my life.  No, I am not exaggerating.  This isn’t one of those moments where I’m over-hyping something for dramatic effect.  I first learned about French hire-wire artist Philippe Petit through the 2008 Oscar-winning documentary, Man On Wire.  It reduced me to tears and if you haven’t seen it, I’d strongly suggest you do so.

In August 1974, Petit completed what many believed would be impossible.  After 6 years of planning, he and his friends broke into the World Trade Centre towers in New York City.  They rigged a metal wire between the rooves of the two buildings and Petit used it as a tight-rope.

Just thinking about it makes me nauseous.  A guy is walking 60 metres along a thin wire that is located 110 stories above the ground.  He had no harness.  He had no safety net.  Oh, and he didn’t walk across the wire just once.  He did it 8 times over a 45 minute period.  He even kneeled on the wire and saluted the crowds below who were watching this “once in a lifetime” act.

How was this possible?  How could Petit balance his entire weight on the wire for so long?  How could he allow for the wind at such a height?  How could he push the fear of falling so deeply into the back of his mind?  How could be break into these iconic New York buildings with all the necessary equipment to rig the wires in the first place?  How could he convince his friends to be involved in these illegal activities for no financial gain?

I had doubts when I first heard about this movie.  Having already seen the brilliant documentary, could a Hollywood-ised dramatization really add much more?  It turns out the answer is yes.  Director Robert Zemeckis is a filmmaker who breaks boundaries when it comes to visual effects.  Three of his films won the Oscar for in that category – Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Death Becomes Her and Forrest Gump.  The Polar Express also has a place in the Guinness World Book of Records as the first all-digital capture film.

Perhaps my fear of heights was a contributing factor but The Walk provides a film-going experience unlike anything I’ve seen this year.  There’s an early scene where Petit (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) pictures himself standing on the small beam that protrudes from the top of the north tower.  I could feel myself tensing up.  Of course, that was nothing compared to the film’s lengthy climax.  Shot using astonishing 3D imagery, it left me with sweaty palms and a light head.  It looks all too real.

The screenplay comes together nicely.  A few facts have been changed but they’re understandable given it all must fit into a two hour running time.  Gordon-Levitt trained with the real Philippe Petit to gain an appreciation of his persona and the art of wire walking.  That comes through his terrific performance where he portrays Petit as a man who is brash, cocky and inspiring.  The use of narration also helps us get inside his head.

It’s a shame that the early box-office numbers from the United States for The Walk have been poor.  Audiences are more interested in The Martian and Hotel Transylvania 2.  All I can say is that if you give this the flick, you’re missing out on a wild ride and an incredible true story.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 30 September 2015

Ben Whittaker (DeNiro) is a 70-year-old retiree from New York who has a self-described “hole in his life” that he’s looking to fill.  His wife passed away 3 years ago and since that time, he’s done everything he can to keep himself busy and occupied.  He’s travelled the world, played golf, read books, watched movies, and cooked great meals.  He’s also attended his fair share of funerals – a downside of having so many elderly friends.

Unfortunately for Ben, all of that isn’t enough.  Retirement isn’t what he expected.  He misses the friendships and general interaction that come with a vibrant workplace.  Inspired by a flyer he comes across, Ben decides to re-enter the workforce and applies to be a “senior intern” for About The Fit, an online clothing store based in Brooklyn.  After an unorthodox interview process conducted by a bunch of twenty-something year olds (who make up most of the company), he’s told that he got the position.

A running theme throughout much of the film is the difference between “old school” and “new school”.  Ben dresses in a suit and tie (complete with a handkerchief in his pocket) while the others dress casually with their shirts untucked.  Ben works by set hours whereas the others drift in and out of the office.  Ben carries an old briefcase while the others carry around iPads and iPhones.

Writer-director Nancy Meyers (Something’s Gotta Give, It’s Complicated) isn’t trying to say that one way is better than the other.  Rather, she’s highlighting that it’s very easy to bridge the generational gap.  Ben learns how to use the latest technology and appreciates the value of open plan offices.  His co-workers get to benefit from his vast experience when it comes to style, romance and chivalry.  His business skills are also of great use.

This is the best thing Robert DeNiro has done in more than a decade.  He has created a sweet, calm, level-headed character who is immensely likeable.  He reminds me of those who spend years of their lives volunteering for charities and sporting organisations.  They’re not doing it for the money or because they’re career driven.  They do it for the love of helping out, interacting with others, and making a small difference.  That seems to be Ben’s philosophy throughout his internship.  He goes home at night with the confidence that he’s still of value to others.

The other key player in this piece is Jules Ostin (Hathaway), the young founder and CEO of About The Fit.  She started the company from scratch but it now struggling to deal with shipping and customer satisfaction issues as it goes through a period of rampant growth.  The venture capitalist investors are keen to recruit a more experienced CEO to help lessen her heavy workload but Jules loves her work and is reluctant to give up control.

Jules is not as easy to like.  She’s determined and well-intentioned.  She is also to be admired for taking a simple idea and turning it into a full-blown business with more than 200 employees.  On the flip side, she struggles with delegation and over commitment.  She has created a life where she can’t devote sufficient time to her staff and family.  This has led to relationship issues at home and reputational issues at work.  There are times when she’s her own worst enemy.

The friendship that develops between Ben and Jules is the film’s heart and soul.  They share some great conversations as Ben tries to size up each difficult situation and subtly steer Jules in the right direction.  There are some silly, unnecessary interludes (e.g. a plot to delete an accidental email) and a few elements are over-simplified but The Intern is still a winner.  In addition to some great laughs, Nancy Meyers has provided much to ponder when it comes to management styles and workplace demographics.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 October 2015

Since the 1950s, the FBI has maintained a list of its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.  The name of James “Whitey” Bulger was added in 1999 with the FBI offering as much as $2 million for information leading to his arrest.  Bulger was a crime lord who rose to power in Boston in the 1970s and was involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons smuggling, and extortion.  Oh, and he was also wanted for his role in 18 murders.

Brought to the screen by actor-turned-director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart), the film opens in 1975 where Bulger (Depp) was just a small time crook living in South Boston.  He led a small group who were involved with vending machines, loan sharking and racketeering.  He had a wife, a young son, and was highly regarded within the community.  His older brother (Cumberbatch) has been elected to the U.S. Senate.

The story of Bulger proves that truth really can be stranger than fiction.  John Connolly (Edgerton) was a young FBI agent looking to move quickly up the ranks.  He reached out to Bulger, who he’d known as a child, and suggested they form an alliance.  The FBI would turn a blind eye to Bulger’s illegal activities and in return, he’d feed them information about much bigger gangs that were operating in Boston.  Top of the list were the Angiulo Brothers who headed up Boston’s dark underworld.

Over the next few years, Bulger’s power grew and grew.  The FBI were too afraid to touch him because of the deal that had been made.  They knew that Bulger was arrested, he’d spill the beans about the FBI had been supporting his enterprise.  The police were also letting Bulger go about his business.  He was making that much money that he could afford to bribe whoever was necessary.  This went on for close to two decades.

This is the best performance we’ve seen from Johnny Depp in a while.  He’s created a character who will keep you on your toes throughout the whole film.  One minute, he’ll be making small talk with someone.  The next minute, he’s killing them in a brutal fashion.  One of the film’s best scenes is at a dinner table where is berating someone for giving up the secret to a long held family recipe.  Bulger was an expert in creating fear and that was a major reason for his success.

I’d argue that FBI agent John Connolly, played by Joel Edgerton, is the film’s more interesting character.  However, the screenplay struggles when illustrating his mindset.  Why did he want to form the alliance with Bulger?  Was it simply to further his career?  Did he want to protect Bulger since they were childhood acquaintances?  Did he ever have any doubts about what he was doing?  Connolly’s methods are continually questioned by his wife and his fellow FBI agents (these scenes become repetitive) but he never shows any hesitation.

The major take away from Black Mass are its themes of power and corruption.  Most folk from Boston knew that Whitey Bulger was bad news.  What they didn’t know was that the tax-payer funded organisations designed to stop people like Bulger… were just as bad.