by Julian Wood
Worth: $15.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Okey Bakassi, Tyson Palmer, Laureta Idika Uduma
Intro:
… a glimpse into a less-represented vibrant locality and culture.
It is rightly said that Australia today is essentially a multicultural country, and, in tandem with this, it is a country of many interlocking storytelling traditions. A nice example of this is on show in this simple and sincere tale of the African diaspora in Melbourne. The director/writer Kalu Oji is of African descent, and it is obvious that the film is very much inspired by his own childhood experiences.
The main protagonist is Azubuike (a strong likable performance from Okey Bakassi). He has many skills but, for now, he is running a small shoe shop. Times are hard for small businesses but, if his shop has to close, it won’t be through want of trying. Azu has arranged with his wife (who lives in another place now) that their teenage son Obinna (Tyson Palmer) will come and spend some time with him. The father hopes that he can reconnect with his son and show him how a proud Igbo man should conduct himself. Obinna is ambivalent about owning his African heritage and suffering from the usual teenage angst about relating to his dad. Slowly, the pair come to reconnect. We kind of know that they will but that does not make the recombining any less emotionally satisfying.
Most of the actors are non-professionals (if professional is a thing in the world of Australian acting) and/or first timers and they give the film lots of authenticity, if sometimes at the expense of polish. The script has a few loose ends that detract from a strong throughline. It is also quite sombre for a lot of the time, concentrating – almost despite itself – on the sense of frustration and struggle that is the lot of many marginalised communities trying to assimilate.
All that being said, the film has plenty of positives; not least of which is a glimpse into a less-represented vibrant locality and culture. The theme of fathers and sons finding a way to accommodate each other and cement their bond is a pretty universal one and it is heart-warmingly portrayed here. If you look past some of the rough edges, it is a rewarding experience. Young Tyson Palmer is a bit of a natural and he looks great on screen. He certainly deserves to be given further opportunities on the strength of his showing here.
