ManiakJiggy This is How Movies Should Be Made

Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Caryl It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Rich Wright Getting the portrayal of an Alzheimer's disease sufferer on screen is very difficult, as the disease can manifest itself in so many ways and the writer could be accused of milking it for comedic value if they're not careful. Some of John Hurt's antics in Lou sometimes verge on the edge of this territory, but thanks to his skill as an actor we are able to be convinced his unseemly outbursts are part of his condition, so the issue of insensitivity never arises. His ultimate triumph is getting ME to like him, as when he was foisted on this single mother of three children at the start just before Christmas (he's her estranged husband's father) and given the eldest daughter Lou's bedroom, my reaction was more or less the same as Lou's... NOT FAIR and GET RID OF HIM.But, through a combination of his idiosyncratic behaviour and his seafaring stories, he is able to win her (and me) over, although the relationship becomes slightly worrying when he mistakes this 11 year old for his long-gone WIFE, and proposes to her. Fortunately, Lou takes it all in good grace and even wears the ring he gives her, but (understandably) her mum is slightly worries at this turn of events and forces her child to 'break it off'. This sparks a violent outburst from the afflicted old man, and an even deeper wedge being driven between mother and daughter. Lou decides to do a runner with her grandpa, but looking after a dementia sufferer on the road is harder than you think...Alternating between humour and pathos, it features great performances from everyone, especially the very prettily named Lily Bell Tindley as the toughest pre-teen you'll ever likely to meet (Though in this kind of family, that trait is probably a necessity). As mentioned, John Hurt is completely disarming as the completely random but good-hearted pensioner, and his friendship with Lily's character forms the crux of the story. Reality has to set in eventually though, and when it is eventually time to say goodbye, we feel the people in the film have learned something, and we at home have too. Edutainment indeed... 7/10

busta rimes This should never have been made. Even with the great John Hurt, it's reported 3 & half million budget (which would need box office returns in the area of 10:1 to break even) is irrecoverable. Creating more burnt investors and distributors who'll hesitate to touch an Australian film yet again...Grim little "slice of life" film that even manages to flatten the lush landscape of Murwullinbah. OK performances and a script that feels like it's been put through the funding body wringer - no surprises, predictable events and story arc etc.Reviewed as "Worthy" - i.e kiss of death. Should have been on TV .

greguki This is an Australian film of great depth. The simplicity can be deceptive but like all great writing the trick is to say enough without saying too much. The combination of the writing and the acting synergistically magnifies the impact of what could seem to those on a steady diet of blockbusters a slow film. On an obviously tight budget sometimes so much can be delivered. By relying on good acting,writing, direction an impact can be had which exceeds that of the 100 million dollar epic. In digging deeper, director Belinda Chayko calls us as an audience to also give more. This is a giving which is rewarded. after watching the film last night, the questions were still rattling away the next day as I write this. John Hurt really is fabulous as Doyle, while Lilly Bell-Tindlay is in danger of stealing the show. If you like beautiful images, you are in for a treat as the Tweed Valley is shown to it's best advantage. While I know that this will not be the sort of movie for everyone, I do know that it left my life just a bit richer.

gregking4 Another fairly grim and down beat Australian drama about a dysfunctional family, that is becoming a staple of local filmmakers. However, Lou is leavened with touches of humour and boasts some excellent performances that lift it. Lou stars John Hurt (The Elephant Man, etc) and Emily Barclay (best remembered for her AFI award winning role as the troubled protagonist of Suburban Mayhem). Barclay plays Rhia, a young mother of three girls who is struggling to make ends meet. She has an especially difficult relationship with her eldest daughter, the precocious eleven year old Louisa (played by newcomer Lucy bell-Tindley), who blames Rhia for driving her father away. With a credit company threatening to take away their possessions due to her failure to pay her bills, Rhia reluctantly to take in the girls' grandfather Doyle (Hurt) and claim the meagre carer's payment. But Doyle suffers from Alzheimer's Disease, and caring for him is not always easy. At first Louisa is resentful of his presence, especially since the muddled old man refers to her as Annie, the name of his former wife. Louisa is also busy caring for her two younger sisters while Rhia is at work or having trouble coping with the disappointments of her own life. But slowly a bond develops between the two, and a strong but strange relationship develops between the pair. Written and directed by Belinda Chayko (who worked as an editor on the TV series Fireflies), the film delivers a solid emotional journey as it probes this dysfunctional family. But the film suffers a little from under developed scripting and characterisation. It also lacks a clear focus – who are we supposed to identify with and care for here? Is it the troubled Louisa, Rhia, or the confused Doyle? Chayko directs the claustrophobic and combustible environment with a deal of empathy, and she drags solid performances from her small cast. Barclay brings grit and a sense of desperation to her performance. Hurt is very good and sympathetic, and he deftly avoids the easy mannerisms that could have turned his performances into a cliché. But the standout performance comes from Bell-Tindley, who is a revelation, and plays her role with assurance and maturity beyond her tender years. Cinematographer Hugh Miller also beautifully captures the film's setting, the cane fields of rural northern New South Wales and offers up some beautiful imagery that resonates beyond the kitchen sink drama. Nonetheless, there is an element of familiarity about much of the drama unfolding