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.
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.