By Erin Free
Worth: $17.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
James Ivor, Anthony Phelan, Serena Ven Sandalwood
Intro:
Gorgeous to look at, savvily assembled, and emotionally affecting...
It’s always refreshing to witness the arrival of a new voice in Australian cinema, especially one that offers something profoundly different to everything else that is going on. That’s not to say, however, that the new drama Storm Bird is some kind of freak-fest intent on breaking all the cinematic rules. It doesn’t say anything especially new, it just says them in a different, distinctly personal style, and it says them with a quiet power and genuine warmth that is completely and utterly disarming. The principal talent at the centre of this muscular yet graceful film is writer, co-director and star James Ivor, and he’s truly one to watch.
Ivor plays Jack Sprawling (James Ivor), a blue-collar construction worker who likes getting on the drink and keeping life simple. He’s also on his way to prison, and for what, we initially don’t know. He’s also quietly at odds with his high-class neighbour, Richard Hollingsworth (Anthony Phelan), an acclaimed classical musician. When beautiful young New York writer Carla (Serena Ven Sandalwood) arrives in town to interview Richard for a proposed biography, Jack is slowly but surely drawn into their world, and then forced to let his emotional guard rails slide and reveal some deeply troubling home truths.
Set and shot amongst the leafy, sweaty, boozy environs of Far North Queensland, Storm Bird has a refreshingly working-class quality. Jack Sprawling doesn’t act, sound or talk like the usual lead character in a contemporary Aussie flick. He’s emotionally guarded, coarse, and often brutally direct. With impressive flair, James Ivor also makes him very likeable. He’s boozy, bleary and prone to a stoush, but Jack Sprawling is also surprisingly sensitive. It makes for a potent, enjoyable mix. It’s a strong, eye-catching performance that really grounds the film.
James Ivor is matched by veteran character actor Anthony Phelan, who brings abundant gravitas and endearing, good-hearted pomposity to the role of Richard, a slightly stuck-up classical music toff who doesn’t really fit into the FNQ world, but loves it and embraces it regardless. Like Ivor, the striking and excellently named Serena Ven Sandalwood brings plenty of charm and likeability to her character, nailing her New York accent, and providing a buffer for what is essentially a deeply masculine tale.
Beautifully and evocatively shot on what is obviously a low budget, Storm Bird is a simple chamber piece about the inner lives of three characters rendered so effectively and intelligently that it feels like something much, much bigger. The screenplay by James Ivor is a wonderfully slow-burning affair, revealing its secrets with perfectly timed precision, and establishing its characters with seeming ease. Gorgeous to look at, savvily assembled, and emotionally affecting, Storm Bird comes in like a sweet, warm breath of Far North Queensland air.
Storm Bird is screening in selected cinemas through August and September. Click here for all ticketing, session and venue details.
