Film No. 67 (2014) September 20th. 11.00 AM LUNA Leederville.
I can't recall a more exciting time in Western Australia with regard to feature film making. These Final Hours and The Reckoning have shown the Perth and Western Australian surrounds proudly as backdrops to these well made, tightly shot films. The much anticipated Son of a Gun is the latest to show off the same landscape and like The Reckoning's John Soto, the director, Julius Avery,is a local, so there is a legitimacy about each shot.
I say much anticipated because Ewan McGregor stars in this prison break-out come gold heist thriller. The state government threw its weight behind this project once it knew McGregor had signed on, even though he shared the billing with Home and Away star Brendon Thwaites. So far the film has competed at festivals and while the reviews have been mixed, distributers across many countries have been buying the rights without hesitation. American company A24 has bought the rights and they have very high hopes for its success and I must say I can see why.
We meet JR (Thwaites), a fresh faced prison inmate about to serve 6 months for a crime we're never informed of. Most importantly, mainly due to his chess prowess, he is befriended by Brendan Lynch (McGregor). JR is protected inside by Lynch for good reason. With JR so close to release there is much to be done on the outside before a daring escape leading to the inevitable Kalgoorlie gold heist. The action is abundant and the speed with which plot-lines develop are furiously quick, if just a little too convenient at times. It is however a rollicking yarn of B Grade proportions; it makes no excuses about its brashness.
Director Julius Avery won both a Cannes and AFI award for his short film Jerrycan which had an earthy, Ken Loach feel. Son of a Gun definitely depicts its characters from the world of hard knocks with a real authenticity. My reservations are that some of the most interesting characters aren't given time to develop, particularly considering the talent of the cast. I'm keen to see what Avery does after Gun; I hope it is a character driven drama with a splash of realism. Son of a Gun proves he is a young film maker who can work with the best (McGregor). 7GUMS
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