Blessed
March 19th 2010 15:53
It is less filmic than it is episodic, in a television serial sense, as the characters are introduced briefly, jumping from one scenario to another. I found that slightly annoying.
However, about half way in, we discover that the film is delineated between the opening POV (point of view) of the youths, then, in a replay of the same scene, the POV of the adults, in particular their mothers. The addition of a title header, to underline this process, was an unnecessary distraction.
The replay and POV change is an interesting concept to use; for after seeing the youths’ angsty scenes, we then get the back story for the mothers and other adults, revealing motivations for attitudes and some misconceptions each side of the age divide has of the other.
This film opens up the trough that usually exists between parent and child, explores the common failings of our era, and seems to achieve that without appearing too preachy, pious, or judgemental.
Some of the scenes are rather confrontational to watch, particularly the disturbing scene involving the youth who agrees to pose for a solo masturbation porno film. That the youth, Roo (played by Eamon Farren) went ahead with it was not the main issue for this scene, for he rang the shady character who shoots those films, we expect for money; it was the pornographer’s coaching of the youth to get him aroused that became disturbing.
On the pornographer's insistance, Roo describes who he fantasised about, Eminem, then Roo was asked to recall his first sexual experience, which turns out to be when he was abused as a 13 year old, at the hands of a worker hired by his father. The memory of this reduced the youth to tears and anguish, yet he still went on with his masturbation, till climax, and there was the problem.
Putting aside the evil sadistic indifference of the pornographer, which did increase the tension of the scene, logically, if one is remembering such an upsetting event in one’s life, surely that would not be conducive to achieving an orgasm?
It was a pity that, what started out as a powerful and confronting scene, ended with one being distracted by the logical improbability of its ending. However, the performance of Farrer as the suffering and vulnerable victim of yet another sociopath, was well executed, but the scene's ending came across too obviously as a directorial dramatic tool.
I did like the recurring background symbolism, the angel's wings, even though it is a rather dated concept, to connote innocence and purity.
There were several other standout performances, Rhonda (played by Frances O’Connor), who was the pregnant prostitute mother of the young teen male Orton (played by Reef Ireland) and his younger sister Stacey (played by Eva Lazzaro); the latter followed her older brother trying to get him to come home, he was sleeping rough, but he was angry at his mother, an addict street worker, who had her children removed by social services.
Ireland presented his character realistically, but again I questioned Anna Kokkinos’ direction, in relation to the younger sister, when we see Stacey being unconcerned by her period blood stained clothes, rejecting the sanitary pads her brother bought her. It just seemed unbelievable that a girl would not feel embarrassment; again directorial artifice was at work here, but the desired dramatic effect was negated by the unnatural response of the girl.
Orton demands that Rhonda takes Stacey back, she is reluctant, so he takes Stacey to where their mother works, on the street; her kids watch her work, the younger girl is not really sure why she gets into strangers’ cars, yet asks if she gets money for it, then admits many of her mother’s boyfriends had sex with her; later on, it is an unspeakable tragedy that befalls Rhonda’s kids, and through that trauma, we finally see beneath Rhonda’s emotionally deadened exterior, to find the strong maternal bond still alive within her junkie rubbled mind, and her recognition of how her children had suffered in their lives, the scene of her epiphany is powerful.
Deborah Lee Furness plays Tanya, the mother of Daniel, played by Harrison Gilbertson; Furness brings strength and emotional depth to her character, allowing the viewer to immediately accept and believe her actions and reactions. Gilbertson, as her son Daniel, also delivers an effective character, although I found the scene of his break and enter, and attempted robbery of the rather odd elderly woman, far too contrived on both their parts.
However, his earlier scene with his mother, and later scenes were well done. Furness was one of the most arresting characters in the film.
The other characters, and support roles, all helped to bring the film to a level that is above the, all too often, self-conscious Aussie fare. It wasn’t screaming at the audience, ‘we’re ocker Aussies, we don’t use Foley, you better like us, or else’, it just simply tells the story of a number of lives, from both sides of the age barrier. Some of the other characters and scenes have their flaws, but overall I felt it worked well, irrespective of Kokkinos's sometimes overplayed emotional manipulation.
This film does delve into some of the unpleasant extremes of life, facing all too many youths today, however, overall it does not lose its feel for reality, it doesn’t come across as exploitative or sensationalist, it’s a slice of life less fortunate, with a smattering of forgiveness and family healing.
ICON FILM DISTRIBUTION: AUSTRALIA: AVAILABLE BLU RAY AND DVD
Directed by
Ana Kokkinos
Produced by
Al Clark
Barbara Gibbs
Phil Hunt
Marian Macgowan
Compton Ross
Written by
Andrew Bovell
Patricia Cornelius
Melissa Reeves
Christos Tsiolkas
Starring
Miranda Otto
Frances O'Connor
Music by Cezary Skubiszewski
Cinematography Geoff Burton
Editing by Jill Bilcock
Studio Blessed Film Productions
Film Victoria (funding)
Head Gear Films
Screen Australia (funding)
Wildheart Zizani
Distributed by Icon Film Distribution
Release date(s) September 10, 2009 (2009-09-10)
Running time 113 mins
Country Australia
Language English
IMAGE CREDITS AND PERMISSIONS:
All images presumed copyright of production house and/or distributors. All rights reserved. Images courtesy of image.net and used for film review purposes only.
Deborah Lee Furness as Tanya
However, about half way in, we discover that the film is delineated between the opening POV (point of view) of the youths, then, in a replay of the same scene, the POV of the adults, in particular their mothers. The addition of a title header, to underline this process, was an unnecessary distraction.
The replay and POV change is an interesting concept to use; for after seeing the youths’ angsty scenes, we then get the back story for the mothers and other adults, revealing motivations for attitudes and some misconceptions each side of the age divide has of the other.
This film opens up the trough that usually exists between parent and child, explores the common failings of our era, and seems to achieve that without appearing too preachy, pious, or judgemental.
Some of the scenes are rather confrontational to watch, particularly the disturbing scene involving the youth who agrees to pose for a solo masturbation porno film. That the youth, Roo (played by Eamon Farren) went ahead with it was not the main issue for this scene, for he rang the shady character who shoots those films, we expect for money; it was the pornographer’s coaching of the youth to get him aroused that became disturbing.
On the pornographer's insistance, Roo describes who he fantasised about, Eminem, then Roo was asked to recall his first sexual experience, which turns out to be when he was abused as a 13 year old, at the hands of a worker hired by his father. The memory of this reduced the youth to tears and anguish, yet he still went on with his masturbation, till climax, and there was the problem.
Putting aside the evil sadistic indifference of the pornographer, which did increase the tension of the scene, logically, if one is remembering such an upsetting event in one’s life, surely that would not be conducive to achieving an orgasm?
It was a pity that, what started out as a powerful and confronting scene, ended with one being distracted by the logical improbability of its ending. However, the performance of Farrer as the suffering and vulnerable victim of yet another sociopath, was well executed, but the scene's ending came across too obviously as a directorial dramatic tool.
I did like the recurring background symbolism, the angel's wings, even though it is a rather dated concept, to connote innocence and purity.
Orton (Ireland) and Stacey (Lazzaro)
There were several other standout performances, Rhonda (played by Frances O’Connor), who was the pregnant prostitute mother of the young teen male Orton (played by Reef Ireland) and his younger sister Stacey (played by Eva Lazzaro); the latter followed her older brother trying to get him to come home, he was sleeping rough, but he was angry at his mother, an addict street worker, who had her children removed by social services.
Ireland presented his character realistically, but again I questioned Anna Kokkinos’ direction, in relation to the younger sister, when we see Stacey being unconcerned by her period blood stained clothes, rejecting the sanitary pads her brother bought her. It just seemed unbelievable that a girl would not feel embarrassment; again directorial artifice was at work here, but the desired dramatic effect was negated by the unnatural response of the girl.
Orton demands that Rhonda takes Stacey back, she is reluctant, so he takes Stacey to where their mother works, on the street; her kids watch her work, the younger girl is not really sure why she gets into strangers’ cars, yet asks if she gets money for it, then admits many of her mother’s boyfriends had sex with her; later on, it is an unspeakable tragedy that befalls Rhonda’s kids, and through that trauma, we finally see beneath Rhonda’s emotionally deadened exterior, to find the strong maternal bond still alive within her junkie rubbled mind, and her recognition of how her children had suffered in their lives, the scene of her epiphany is powerful.
Daniel (Gilbertson) and Tanya (Furness)
Deborah Lee Furness plays Tanya, the mother of Daniel, played by Harrison Gilbertson; Furness brings strength and emotional depth to her character, allowing the viewer to immediately accept and believe her actions and reactions. Gilbertson, as her son Daniel, also delivers an effective character, although I found the scene of his break and enter, and attempted robbery of the rather odd elderly woman, far too contrived on both their parts.
However, his earlier scene with his mother, and later scenes were well done. Furness was one of the most arresting characters in the film.
The other characters, and support roles, all helped to bring the film to a level that is above the, all too often, self-conscious Aussie fare. It wasn’t screaming at the audience, ‘we’re ocker Aussies, we don’t use Foley, you better like us, or else’, it just simply tells the story of a number of lives, from both sides of the age barrier. Some of the other characters and scenes have their flaws, but overall I felt it worked well, irrespective of Kokkinos's sometimes overplayed emotional manipulation.
This film does delve into some of the unpleasant extremes of life, facing all too many youths today, however, overall it does not lose its feel for reality, it doesn’t come across as exploitative or sensationalist, it’s a slice of life less fortunate, with a smattering of forgiveness and family healing.
ICON FILM DISTRIBUTION: AUSTRALIA: AVAILABLE BLU RAY AND DVD
Directed by
Ana Kokkinos
Produced by
Al Clark
Barbara Gibbs
Phil Hunt
Marian Macgowan
Compton Ross
Written by
Andrew Bovell
Patricia Cornelius
Melissa Reeves
Christos Tsiolkas
Starring
Miranda Otto
Frances O'Connor
Music by Cezary Skubiszewski
Cinematography Geoff Burton
Editing by Jill Bilcock
Studio Blessed Film Productions
Film Victoria (funding)
Head Gear Films
Screen Australia (funding)
Wildheart Zizani
Distributed by Icon Film Distribution
Release date(s) September 10, 2009 (2009-09-10)
Running time 113 mins
Country Australia
Language English
IMAGE CREDITS AND PERMISSIONS:
All images presumed copyright of production house and/or distributors. All rights reserved. Images courtesy of image.net and used for film review purposes only.
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Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
This made me giggle, Fog.
I'd heard a bit about Blessed through the indie channels and thought it might be worth checking out, if only for Furness, who is a great actress. Nice write-up, man - will be taking a look when I can.
Comment by Mountain Fog
and it was one of my pet hates, about Oz films of yesteryear, 70's revival and on, that no post sync or SFX etc Hollywood style was done, so everything sounded so 'alive' and tinny, yet we made adverts that were perfect.
anyhoo, I don't have to worry about the industry anymore...'
cheers
fog
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Great review will keep an eye out for it though.
Comment by Mountain Fog
yeah, Oz films are nearly always side lined in the big markets.
cheers
fog