The Rover

The Rover (2014)

Directed by David Michod

103 minutes

After the successful Animal Kingdom (David Michod 2010), which landed fellow Australian Jackie Weaver nominated for an Oscar nomination and American roles since, director David Michod has intertwined Australian and American actors in his new western thriller The Rover. Filmed in South Australia’s Southern Flinders Rangers, the bleached cinematography conjures the essence of a dry environment and like the delights of the ozpolitation genre Wake in Fright (Ted Kotcheff 1971), the heat is a cause of aggravation to the film’s characters.

 The Rover is set in a futuristic post apocalyptic world. Eric (Guy Pearce) is the main protagonist and a very grizzled reminiscence of Clint Eastwood. He goes on the hunt to get his car back which was stolen by a trio after a fight breaks loose and a car collision. Now, as their car is stuck, they take the next available ride. Eric reacts by taking the trio’s car and gets the engine going. After Eric’s very persistent tailgating, he catches up with them, they fight and the gang escapes. Opening with this scenario, puts us in the deep end as we try to connect who’s who.  It is revealed one of the gang members Henry (Scoot McNairy) has a bullet injury and was in a fight with his brother Rey (Robert Patterson), presumed dead.  What we don’t know is why Eric is so insistent on getting his car back.

The narrative continues its fast pace when Eric drives through the town to gather information on his car. Eric’s lack of manners and threatening dialogue doesn’t gain him extra leads, he is ordered to buy something from a general store and asked politely what his name is, and he doesn’t seem to understand small talk.  Enlightenment however comes when Eric meets injured Rey. Eric kidnaps Rey and has his wounds healed to obtain a level of coherence regarding Henry’s whereabouts. Rey’s injury is treated by Dorothy (Susan Prior), a practising doctor, who, like most of the town asks questions armed. Dorothy is kind spirited and contrasts the town’s scavenging, she doesn’t charge and treats abandon dogs. But there a price Dorothy pays for in getting involved with Eric and Rey.

The rest of the journey comes as no surprise. Eric uses Rey to find his brother and take back his car and the film climaxes like a perfect western should.

The Rover is atmospheric, yet simple. We witness some oddities, animal cruelty and violence at times turning the western genre into horror.  The discipline and no ‘fuss’ structure is used effectively to serve the purpose of the narrative and illustrate an environment where every man is out for themselves. In much the same way dialogue is used sparingly.  Eric has lost meaning to humanity and gets straight to the point. However the film is nicely contrasted through Rey’s persona. Rey is a yokel but colourful person who finds it hard to communicate but likes to resolves his fears by talking and telling stories. This is demonstrated precisely through Pearce and Pattison who are contrasts but add subtlety. Their journey works as an awkward buddy relationship.

Although The Rover inevitable has a predictable outcome, the films challenges linearity through the fractured characters personalities that could change at even given time. Scene by scene we learn, and are withheld subtext to fill in the blanks. However, we understand clearly that Eric and Rey have their differences and it compliments their pathways.

 The Rover is most effective in inhibiting a bleak and primitive world that is minimal and explored beautifully. Equally it is can be a journey to embody melon collie and redemption.    

Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Directed by Jean- Marc Vallèe

117 minutes

It was different seeing Matthew McConaughey 38 pounds lighter. Trading his usual muscle clad body for one that barely fits in his vintage tapered jeans. But lately he has diversified from his once pigeon holed Rom -Com roles, to be nominated for best actor in this year’s Academy Awards. The film that enables this is Dallas Buyers Club a biopic drama, which relies on McConaughey embodying Ron Woodroof, a loud mouthed homophobe who tests positive to HIV.  

Dallas Buyers Club is set in the 1980s, an era when people like Woodroof believed the virus is a “faggot” disease.  Although it is speculated that the real Woodroof may have been bisexual and not a homophobe, Jean –Marc Vallèe presents a controversial figure in its normative heterosexual frame-work. Similarly Vallèe inserts a problematic view of the hospital system controlled by the villainous Dr. Sevard (Denis O ‘Hare), who looks a lot like Tony Abbot. Sevard diagnoses Woodroof with Aids and 30 days to live and endorses the drug AZT, which once illegally obtained, makes Woodroof progressively worse. Woodroof finds out that there are alternative drugs and vitamins available globally which had been proven to ease the pain and assist life but remain illegal in the USA. Obtaining the drugs he sells them to other HIV patients through his scheme called the Dallas Buyers Club, costing $400 per membership. Throughout this operation it is challenged by the FDA.

The transgression of Woodroof’s intentions of making a profit collapses as he becomes compassionate and his cause is moralistic. This is complimented with the believable Rayon portrayed by Jared Leto, a likeable and stereotypically clothed transvestite. Rayon is Woodroof’s business partner and helps him adapt to his new queer surroundings. Interestingly Leto’s character was added to the film’s adaptation of Woodroof’s story; it seems another avenue to make Woodroof and his transformation redeemable.

Dallas Buyers Club concentrates on using McConaughey as the main focus of the narrative, leveraging his underdog status. To a degree his costuming and weight-loss seemed to hide the potential for performance, or as much, where the film was willing to go. Whenever Woodroof breaks down, we are shown only a glimpse of a drawn out cry before the scene cuts. It was baffling to see these moments waisted. Dallas Buyers Club is certainly enjoyable and well acted. However it is more concerned with showing us a flawed system than progressing Woodroof’s true emotions or challenging the rigid stereotypes it presents.

                                                         

                   

The Babadook

The Babadook (2014)

Directed by Jennifer Kent

95 minutes

 The Babadook is an Australian horror film written and directed by Jennifer Kent. This is Kent’s first feature as a director.

The Babadook focuses on widower Amelia (Essie Davis), and her son Samuel (Noah Wiseman). Without a father figure Samuel’s has problems at school and believes in monsters. While Amelia fights patronising conversations of what it’s like to be a single mother. Amelia’s work friend Robbie (David Henshall), an ironically sexist character sees this as an opportunity to make his move. However he doesn’t get very far. Amelia prefers a dildo and memories of her late husband. Exploring Amelia’s sexual independency and her relationship with Samuel, you could say, makes up the emotional subtext of the film. The other part is horror. Upon request Amelia reads Samuel a children’s book and the fictional character the babadook, turns out to be an evil spirit. The babadook enters the home and embodies itself inside Amelia. Manipulating Amelia into thinking she has seen her husband and if she does what the babadook wants, he will return. It is Samuel who see’s truthfully and is able to castrate the spirit. The film ultimately test’s a mother and son’s trust and ability to work together.

Although Samuel is the real hero of the narrative and his character transgresses from having nightmares to behaving better in school. I really liked the fluidity of Amelia’s character, played convincingly by Davis.  Amelia is independent and at times matriarchal. I saw her as a combination of Regan (Linda Blair) in The Exorcist (Friedkin 1973) and Alex (Glen Close) in Fatal Attraction (Lyne 1987). In the obvious sense, she is demonic, has a similar exorcism and churns out body fluids. While she disrupts femininity by not being a nurturing mother and kills the pet dog is very Alex. Perhaps we are meant to look at Amelia like Alex’s character as a home wrecker. However Amelia’s appearance is still very feminine and bears a child, in this sense, Amelia isn’t as threatening as Alex’s masculine persona. I would like to use it as a statement of the film not going all the way. I did enjoy the emotional and feminine subtext, but in comparison to The Exorcist, The Babadook’s atmosphere suffers. It seemed there were wasted opportunities or times that could have relied on our imagination. The film’s setting of a two story house implied a paranormal atmosphere but never felt threatened or scary. Seeing the babadook visually was clumsy and looked like OTT character from The Mighty Boosch. These moments worked against the narrative and perhaps would have been metaphorically stronger and complimented the film if tensions were built in a different sense and not relied on through horror.

Whatever tensions you may seek after, they are here. If you enjoy substance and character development and not too fussed about horror aesthetics, then there’s enough potential in The Babadook.  But if you’re looking for atmosphere, then it is a shame to see opportunities like this go awry.