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Chronicle

Let down by its illogical “found footage” approach, this remains an impressively compelling ride, which has more in line with classic storytelling than current fads.

Man On A Ledge

While Worthington doesn’t quite match the talent of his top-notch co-stars, this admittedly implausible but impressively dynamic thriller is exciting stuff.

The Artist

Beautifully made, surprisingly fresh, and there’s no denying its charm, but ultimately, it’s a slight case of style over substance.

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Driven by Elizabeth Olsen’s mesmerising lead performance, this languid and unsettling story buries deep into your mind

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The Independent (Film)

by James Brown | June 01, 2008 00:01 | Edited November 11, 2008 16:53

The Independent is a rare gem in the Australian comedy landscape. Directors Andrew O'Keefe and John Studley balance trademark Australian humour and heartfelt drama with surprising maturity, delivering a clever and magnetic underdog mockumentary about a suburban political hopeful, Marty Browning (Lee Mason). With an ambitious vision of door-knocking and leaflet distribution, Browning competes for the Melbourne electorate of Richmond, but soon becomes an innocent victim of political fraud and mudslinging. Mason is practically perfect in his role, remaining sincere and quietly inspirational as fat cats and spin-doctors engulf him, and his modest and unglamorous relationship with Calloway (Sylvie De Crespigny) serves the film well. Characters like Bentakis (Tony Nikalokopoulos) and Sutherland (Jim Daly) are understated and eerily reminiscent caricatures of household names, with only Evans (Grant Piro) falling into hyperbole. Browning's story is well paced and original, reconciling quaint fly-on-the-wall moments with a continuously unraveling; unfortunately, this often leads to emotional misdirection and the sudden shifts from light-hearted comedy to unnervingly raw drama can become perplexing to the audience, as there are no consistent or secure tones within the mockumentary set-up. This is most prominent in a strange sub-narrative that culminates in an unjustifiably joyless conclusion. While overtly political in nature, the message behind The Independent is never aggressive; instead it paints a poignant, street-level look at the state of Australian politics, with the entire scope of its message steady, focused and developed. As a whole, The Independent is an endearing and distinctly Australian look at political intrigue with the most charming protagonist since Kenny.