This movie is quite possibly my favourite Australian movie of all time. It is a tragic and funny and joyous encapsulation of a time now gone...thankfully in many respects. It strongly illustrates the historical disadvantage that most indigenous Australian families come from and how the transition to a modern lifestyle and a quest for inclusion is not so easy...the ties that bind are strong in the indigenous community but they can also hold back. There is plenty of fascinating imagery and even anthropologye in this movie...the scenes of the moving truck are amazing, funny and beautiful, as are the suburban home life scenes around 'the kitchen table'...the bush community scenes and township scenes are of a time long gone but fascinating to watch for any Australian...same for the people and faces too. Ernie Dingo is one who now holds an iconic place in Australian culture, his smile and acting bring some timelessness to this movie too. But the central theme for me is family, a prominent feature of indigenous culture...the characters in this move love each other and do their best to stick together against the odds and they are always there for each other no matter the disappointments. The indigenous cast of this movie successfully convey these themes of family and connection, strength and resilience...amazing people the first Australians...but for this movie, it is great acting and believable stuff. If you aren't moved by this movie then you are not alive....the true history of Australia and a massively underrated classic of Australian cinema. Thank you Bruce Beresford and Sue Milliken for making this movie...it may not be your most successful work but it is probably your most important.
Review of The Fringe Dwellers
