Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

A lot of fun.

A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

The revelation within this movie is first-time actress, young Lily Bell Tindley in the title role of Lou (short for Louise). She is a natural and her face captures the camera like few can. Mature for her age she reminded me of American actress Monica Potter, who also reminds me of Julia Roberts. My wife said Lily Bell reminded her of Emma Roberts, who of course is the niece of Julia Roberts. Anyway if she gets a chance to continue with an acting career she can become very successful.Set in Australia, Lou is the oldest of three daughters, 11 and about to be 12, and her single mom is only 27. We don't get much of a back-story except that their dad left, they don't know him, and they struggle to pay the rent.As it turns out John Hurt (approaching 70 during filming) as Doyle is the grandfather, in a care facility, because he has early stages of dementia. He needs a place to stay temporarily and he is "placed" in their home. (As an American I don't understand how this works in Australia, but never mind.) While the arrangement is far from ideal, Lou seems to start to become attached to Doyle, more than anything because he is a father (or grandfather) figure she never had.Things get complicated when Doyle begins to call Lou "Annie", his deceased wife. In fact at one point Doyle regresses to his younger days and actually proposes to "Annie." Lou seems to take him seriously when he says "I love you" and she even fantasizes about them going away.It is all handled very well, the delicate story of an older man fading from reality and a young girl about to grow into a young woman learning about real life.

I enjoyed this Australian film starring the always-terrific John Hurt. It seemed like a more realistic portrait of a modern family than what you see in a majority of Hollywood films today. Lily Bell-Tindley plays Lou and is definitely a young actress to watch. Wonderful character portrayal and her eyes tell the story. Her intensity and talent reminds me of a current actress like Chloe Grace Moretz. This DVD will be coming to the United States on July 19, 2011 from Monarch Home Entertainment. Although the story takes place in Australian cane country, I believe the family situation is very relatable to American audiences. The subject matter deals with a family member with Alzheimers, but is not a completely depressing journey and ends well. Kudos to John Hurt for another fine performance. I recommend this film.

This is one very 'different' film. The pre-publicity prepares one for a tough hour-and-a-bit. It starts slow, and one wonders whether the story can be told in the short time left. We have a family, short of a dad, living on the border of Queensland and New South Wales. It's sugarcane country, backed by Mount Warning, the conspicuous mountain named by James Cook in 1770. The family is poor economically, but strong in spirit. We are introduced to the three girls, eldest 12, early in a line-up. This line-up is repeated from time to time and at the finish of the film. The girls are obedient, which makes them, perhaps, less than normal. But mother preserves the family's functionality with discipline against great odds. The odds seem greatest when the family is stuck with the grandfather, suffering with Alzheimers. It is obvious that Lou, the eldest girl, is to be the leader in the drama, and Doyle, the declining elder, is her foil. Does this work? Well, there's an old stage rule: never appear with children or dogs. The children win hands down with the mother appearing to be helpless. Doyle finishes up happy, and Lou, resilient in her youth, recovers from her disappointment. The cinematography is lovely, with rock-steady camera work, but not relying too heavily on the magnificent landscape of the Tweed Valley. Yes, a filmmaker can tell a story in under an hour-and-a-half!

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.