We need stories that inspire, ones told in traditional ways with skill, care and finesse. They should feature an absence of visual technology and instead, an emphasis on character development and storyline. George Clooney’s The Boys in the Boat is just such a work.

It tells the true life story of the University of Washington eight-man rowing crew that was a surprise entrant to the 1936 Summer Olympics. Those were the games famously held in Nazi controlled Germany before the start of World War ll. That reality provides a backdrop to a study of the class system of the time.

Clooney adds to his directorial portfolio with this decidedly old-fashioned tale of athletic deeds and boys growing up to become men. He keeps the film trickery to an absolute minimum and lets the real-life story shine through. There is a high level of effort from all the cast and crew and that makes the film a joy to watch.
Rob Hudson
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This true story follows a group of underdogs at the height of the Great Depression as they’re thrust into the spotlight and take on elite international rivals.

The Boys In The Boat is directed by George Clooney, stars Joel Edgerton and Callum Turner, and will be released in Aussie cinemas January 4, 2024!
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The story begins 10 years after the dramatic events of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” where Obi-Wan Kenobi faced his greatest defeat—the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.

The series stars Ewan McGregor, reprising his role as the iconic Jedi Master, and also marks the return of Hayden Christensen in the role of Darth Vader. Joining the cast are Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie.

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With huge advances in computer-generated graphics, the new version could have easily fallen into a rut of just looking good but be empty of fresh ideas, so it’s not surprising that this take is so uneven. The acting must be addressed first and it’s inconsistent to say the least. The film’s structure is also suspect by revelling the alien monster way too early in the proceedings and dissipating the sense of dread that both Carpenter and Hawks worked so effectively with.

What we are left with is a modern flick that sits rather uncomfortably with its somewhat low-fi look and up to date technology. The acting, which is a bit of a distraction, is less intrusive when the monsters take full flight and this transforms the experience into a decent contemporary science fiction thriller.

It’s best to remove the baggage of expectations and previous knowledge of the film’s gestation and what you get is good time trashy fun with some interesting new monster effects. It’s also best not to read too many reviews of this film because the end contains a twist that if known before the film’s conclusion seriously impacts its fun.

Rob Hudson
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The claim that the film glorifies torture is interesting as well as the torture scenes in question in the film yield very little useful information and actually show the futility of certain kinds of forced confessions. The film is about the global hunt for Osama bin Laden after 9-11 and he as a person is given very little exposure and as such almost becomes this mythical boogieman.

The politics behind his actions are given little screen time and bin Laden becomes the modern day equivalent to the German movie bad guys in the fifties, Russians bad guys in the sixties and seventies and Eastern European bad guys in the eighties and nineties. The film also has a slightly anti US government feel as the upper echelon officials seem to be blind to what is right in their faces. It takes the zealot behaviour and unwavering obsession of female CIA analyst Maya (Jessica Chastain) to spur the behemoth government into final action.

The film’s structure builds and builds to a suitable climax and in this it does not disappoint as the final few scenes are real edge of the seat stuff. As is true with almost all cinematic versions of actual events, the reality of the truth lies somewhere else but what we are given can be taken as effective popcorn thrills but not much more.

Rob Hudson
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The film energizes the viewer with a sense of outrage over the misguided attempt to cure their son’s homosexuality with the therapy while taking an even handed look at the hypocrisy of their religion, one based on forgiveness and love. Edgerton is masterful at balancing these opposites.

The father (Russell Crowe) mother (Nicole Kidman) and son (Lucas Hedges) form a loving family unit that is changed forever as the clash over religion and sexuality takes over their lives. The son has to endure horrible injustices in isolation as he is torn between his emerging sexuality and the rejection he feels by his father’s lack of acceptance.

It seems that the horrors of life in the clinic might have actually been downplayed as the absolute truth would have alienated the audience and created screen monsters. It’s not that kind of film. It’s one that is nuanced and more involving because of it. It tries its best not to make judgements and it derives it power from you completing the picture.

Rob Hudson
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Boy Erased stars Academy Award® nominee Lucas Hedges (Manchester By The Sea, Three Billboards) alongside fellow Australian luminaries and Academy Award® winners Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies, The Hours) and Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) in their first on-screen collaboration.

Boy Erased had its Premiere at the recent Telluride & Toronto Film Festivals garnering universal praise, commending the outstanding performances and Joel Edgerton’s contribution to a vital conversation:

“Boy Erased is a good movie and also an important one, one that might save lives if enough young people find their way to it”
Sasha Stone, TheWrap
 
“This film has the power to open minds as well as hearts”
Scott Menzel, We Live Entertainment

Academy Award® nominee Lucas Hedges (Manchester By the Sea) stars alongside Academy Award® winners Nicole Kidman (“Big Little Lies”, The Hours) and Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) in Anonymous Content’s BOY ERASED.  Joel Edgerton (The Gift, Loving) directs, writes, produces and co-stars in the emotional coming-of-age and coming out drama about a young man’s journey to self-acceptance.

BOY ERASED tells the story of Jared (Hedges), the son of a Baptist pastor in a small American town, who is outed to his parents (Kidman and Crowe) at age 19. Jared is faced with an ultimatum: attend a conversion therapy program – or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends, and faith. Boy Erased is the true story of one young man’s struggle to find himself while being forced to question every aspect of his identity.

Boy Erased is in Australian cinemas November8!
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Joel Edgerton (The Gift, Loving) directs, writes, produces and co-stars in the emotional coming-of-age and coming out drama about a young man’s journey to self-acceptance.BOY ERASED tells the story of Jared (Hedges), the son of a Baptist pastor in a small American town, who is outed to his parents (Kidman and Crowe) at age 19.

Jared is faced with an ultimatum: attend a conversion therapy program – or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends, and faith. Boy Erased is the true story of one young man’s struggle to find himself while being forced to question every aspect of his identity.
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David Oyelowo (Selma & Nightingale) plays Harold, a mild mannered accountant whose life is about to change in the most dramatic of ways. His behind the scenes work at a company run by college mate Richard Rusk (Joel Edgerton) takes a turn for the worse, when the conniving Rusk and his female off-sider Elaine Markinson (Charlize Theron) run afoul of a Mexican drug lord.

Theron overplays her wicked character to the hilt and it’s fun to see how low she will go. Edgerton, whose real life brother Nash directed the film, plays her nervous and twitchy co-conspirator with uneven comic timing. Together they are not the most effective criminals and this inadequacy forms one of the film’s comic tent poles.

Gringo has its moments and they arrive mostly from Oyelowo transition from the duped to the man in charge, while Theron’s amoral character bubbles away in the background. The seeds of a engaging film are there but it leaves the audience a bit to much work to make them bloom.

Rob Hudson
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Jennifer Lawrence delivers her bravest performance yet and adds another outstanding job to her ever expanding resume of excellence. As an actor, she endures almost as much pain and shows as much commitment as her character does on screen.

The film slowly builds and builds, so viewers looking for that quick visceral thrill might have to look elsewhere but for those that revel in playing arm chair detective themselves, will find much to love as the clues unfold. When the final reveal comes it makes you reassess all that has come before.

Red Sparrow harkens back to a time when you could challenge an audience’s intelligence and detective skills before attention spans recessed and action became the dominant form for spy movies. All this psychological action and not a martini, shaken or stirred in sight.

Rob Hudson
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