go-smileyriley
I found this one embarrassing to watch, from start to finish. At first it was just the bad acting; Mendellson was so droll and Friels wooden, and most others were just over the top, like they were acting in a child's pantomime but saying "f...k" a lot. Then the implausibility of the screenplay and plot really started to bother me. The cinematic and plot clichés were an insult to anyone's intelligence. How do they get away with receiving funding for this type of movie? What do they write in their grant acquittals? Do they keep a straight face? I don't think so. Well, I guess they all had a bit of fun making it, because Rozelle hospital's a nice place to hang out and everybody loves working with pigs on set.
leighjack
Simply brilliant. Almost every scene is a standout, and totally memorable. This movie is some of Australia's best letting loose, and seemingly without bounds. I wonder if it was a case of 'action', and then see what happens.Jackie Weaver during her audition getting particularly annoyed with Colin Haye. Any David Wenham scene, likewise Barry Otto; I almost feel for Toni Collette having to play the sane nut.Was the pig attacking Ben real, it appeared so, and obviously left in because his reaction was priceless.I can't recommend this film highly enough.
ruhmin8
I agree with most of the reviews already posted, but would like to add that I found the characterizations to be what endeared me most to this production. I'm a recent explorer of opera and have seen movie versions of some of them. This can stand toe to toe with any movie version of an opera in terms of its ability to reach gut level. I cried when the house lights went down and the curtain up as the six on stage were transformed into something bigger than themselves and so participated in the healing mystery that mankind has been experiencing since the first dramatizations and plays were enacted.
suzie-14
Stick with this movie and you'll be able to see something of yourself in these characters. We as a society expect very little from our mentally disabled population. Yet here was a movie that celebrated their dedication to a project, something bigger than themselves. I know how capable this population is because my friend is the musical director of a developmentally delayed rock 'n roll band, The Heart and Soul Band, and let me tell you, I have learned much more from them than they have from me. They are love personified and I strongly recommend getting to know yourself through this population. In this movie, Lewis did. He ultimately was inspired by their spirit, their vision, their heart, and their soul. I found this movie to be inspired and filled with valuable insights and lessons while keeping the characters very real
AD
