Troye Dchgl First I must say that this is a drama that can make most people sad, so do think twice about watching this and pick the right mood for it. But the fact that it brings depression does not mean it is not a good movie. On the contrary, it is a brilliant one.A very dark story is what this film presents. It is about a Dad and a son's journey, and the Dad is a fugitive from justice. I do not want to ruin the story but I can conclude that the story is not at all difficult to understand. The audience may have some questions in the beginning but they are answered as the film develops, through recalling of past memories by the characters.The movie is realistic and believable, thanks to an incredible script, well-written dialogue and brilliant performances. The two main characters are very professional and amazing at their roles.This movie makes the audience think about a lot of things. Given by the dark plot is a valuable lesson for us all. There is superb character development. The relationship of the father and the son is indeed the main focus. We see the son's mixed love and hate towards his Dad, and the father's deep concern for his son in spite of his violent nature. It raises a lot of thoughts in our mind, like how parents should treat their kids and what "the right thing to do" is.I would like to point out another achievement of this movie. The film takes place across Australia, and the scenery is simply "wow". This movie does not hold back aspects of the country's natural beauty. The audience has the chance to see a whole lot of wonders: the desert, the forest, mountains, even a frozen lake."Last Ride" is a drama dealing with extremely dark themes and there are scenes that may be disturbing for some throughout the whole movie. This is definitely not the kind of movie that we watch and have a blast, and it is one-hundred percent not suitable for young children. Nonetheless, it is very successful in its realistic portrait and its powerful performances, and is highly recommended as a thought-provoking and touching drama.

jotix100 A young boy is seen with a gun in between parked cars. It is an intriguing premise. One cannot fail to wonder if it is a real gun, or just a toy one. Evidently the boy, Chook, and his father Kev, are running away from a bad situation at home. They take to the road, making their first stop at Kev's old lover, Maryanne. She wants him out, but Kev convinces her for one more tumble in the sack, for old times sake, before asking for her money.Kev discovers what appears to be an abandoned house. He manages to get Chook inside through an opening in a window. Kev has been telling Chook about their possible Afghani lineage, so when the boy discovers some strange costumes, he believes they are from Afghanistan. Chook also sees a woman that appears to be praying in a room of the house, dressed in a strange costume. The woman tells him she is from India. Kev, surprising them, forces her into submission and proceeds to steal her car and money. Chook's souvenir is her cell phone.Father and son begin a long odyssey traveling through the outback. Kev's only source of getting money is by stealing whatever he can in order for him and Chook to feed themselves. Kev shows a mean streak toward his son. When the boy finds some cosmetics in the car of the Indian lady, he paints his lips and eyes with them. Kev is mortified, beating his son with his belt. It is at this point we get to know the real reason for Kev's running away. In flashbacks we see Max, a friendly man that might, or might not be a sexual predator. Kev's savage beating probably is the cause of his friend's death.Staying in a secluded area, away from the police, Kev tries bonding with the boy, but his cruelty toward his son does not sit well with Chook. As Kev tries to stay away from the police he saw near the camping ground where he and Chook were, they come to the shallow Lake Gairtner, where the father, in a fit of anger, tries to abandon the boy. Chook figures a way out of the ordeal his old man has put him through by using the cell phone to alert the authorities. At the end, Kev has figured he does not want to go to prison again, deciding on a desperate action."Last Ride" made an impression on this viewer. It was directed by Glendyn Ivin and based on a novel by Denise Young. The screen adaptation is by Mac Gudgeon. The director's view of the material translates beautifully in front of our eyes. The result is on a look at a desperate man against the glorious scenery of that part of Australia, most of us do not get to see. The sequence on Lake Gairtner is pure poetry, thanks to the excellent cinematography of Greig Fraser, who continues to show his artistry in every project he is involved with.The film is a tour de force by Hugo Weaving, one of Australia's best actors. His Kev is a cruel man, showing traces of having been sexually abused while in jail. Thus his reaction toward the situation with Max and his horror at his son painted face, something that might remind him of his past. Young Tom Russell holds his own opposite his more experienced co-star. One appreciate Chook's hard look at the life he has led and the abuse from a father that is tough on him. Appearing shortly is the excellent Anita Hegh as Maryanne. John Brumpton is also seen briefly as Max.One can only hope the best to the talented Glendyn Ivin in the future.

themope I found this film to be much better than expected, especially compared to the relatively low score on IMDb. I'd give it a solid 8.5. Fine acting by both the father and the little boy (and all the incidental characters). It reminded me a bit of the Russian film "The Return (Vozvrashchenie)." Both were so-called last rides between father and son(s). If you like this film, there's a good chance you'll like "The Return." One of the things I really liked about this movie was that it didn't need to have every moment filled with dialog like a lot of movies. There are some great scenes with little or no dialog where the interaction between the characters and their environment created enough mood on their own. More dialog would have just been a distraction at times. My only complaint about the film was that I wish it was a bit longer. But then that's a sign of a good film, you don't want it to end.

timoth93 I saw this movie a few nights ago on the 18th of June at the Palace, in Brisbane. There was a question and answer session afterwards with Hugo Weaving and the director.The movie is quite good, i have not read the book. It starts off slow but a lot is accomplished, considering it's relatively short runtime. Hugo Weaving definitely gets into the role of Kev and Tom Russell definitely has potential.The movie is realistic and is not at all Hollywoodized. If you like dramas then i suggest you go see it. However there are some disturbing thematic material so be warned.I myself wish that we got more of a variety of movies made here in Australia. this movie is not too different to other that have already been done but at least hopefully it'll be a success and the government will learn to fund then Australian film industry.