Sunday 15 March 2020

No. 15. (2020) UNDERTOW March 8th.


Film No. 15 (2020)  March 8th.  4:00 AM  PALACE Paradiso Northbridge. 


"Have you thought about some kind of rebirth?." (A deep question asked of Claire during her counselling sessions).






First time feature director Miranda Nation has created a substantially deep and very meaningful story of women dealing with issues related to loss and male insecurity. Watching films like Undertow on International Women's day further emphasises the power of this small story which hopefully will have an impact.


This Australian story carries international themes told through the eyes of two women Claire, (Laura Gordon) who has just suffered the loss of her first child (still-born) and Angie (Olivia De Jong) reluctantly pregnant to (Claire's husband Brett's (Rob Collins) best friend) AFL football star Brett, (Josh Helman). The emotional fragility of both women collide through, quite literally, a sea of images and emotions.


The beautiful southern coastline of Victoria provides the raw setting for this emotional drama and while the story is thin, the themes of vulnerability leading to temptation of the drastic kind are heartfelt. Nation's budget would have been threadbare here. Her eye for detail is exquisite. I'll be looking out for her next project. 9GUMS.



     

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