This is one of those films that I was interested in seeing after hearing about it, and seeing it advertised. Basically, it is about the story of two female backpackers who take a job as bartenders in an outback town and the subsequent horrors that they experienced out there. In a way there was a suggestion that this film was in part a thriller, but also a documentary, as the film makers basically follow the girls around on the month that they spend out there, and capture the sexual harassment that the experience on an almost daily basis.
Yet, despite all of the shock and horror that is recorded about this film, and while I don't condone the behaviour of the patrons, and the boss, the truth is that first of all this was not surprising, and secondly, while they weren't necessarily able to handle it, there were others that could. Honestly, from my experiences in a toxic workplace, I don't necessarily what to suggest that what they experienced wasn't bad, it was, but was I shocked, not really. Was I uncomfortable? Yes, in parts, most definitely.
The thing is that this movie is being used to condemn the macho culture of the mining community, but I'm actually not all that surprised that this is what the culture is like. This isn't something that is restricted to a small town five hundred kilometres east of Perth, this is something that exists pretty much wherever you encounter a harsh environment where there happens to be a huge gender imbalance. In fact the environment doesn't even need to be harsh because you could easily find this type of behaviour in the heart of Silicon Valley. The problem is that this isn't going to change.
I should actually point out that the film makers didn't quite guild the lilly here, because I also noticed that they weren't the only girls out here, there were the two girls they were replacing, who seemed to have absolutely no problems with the behaviour of the locals. Then there were the two middle aged ladies that turned up as well, that didn't seem to have a problem either. Another thing that I should point out is that the two Finnish girls certainly did seem to have a problem with the two English girls, and where making comments about wishing that they would leave.
Yet I can't help but appreciate the enormous pressure that they were under, particularly since you would have guys that would basically invite themselves over, and refuse to leave when asked to. Not only that, but they were regularly attempting to get them drunk, so as to have their way with them. Also, going upstairs when you are ill only to discover some brute upstairs asleep on your couch can be quite disturbing.
The interesting thing is that the owner of the pub didn't seem to be too concerned about the behaviour of the locals. It isn't as if there were any other pubs out there, and he seems to have no problem encouraging his staff being exploited as such. Like, he complains about how useless they are, yet makes the comment at the beginning that he doesn't care whether they are experienced, as long as they are good looking, and further describes them as fresh meat. Yeah, honestly, you really can't have it both ways.
The thing that I have with this movie though is that these girls aren't the only people who find themselves trapped in a toxic workplace. Further, this isn't just about what life is like for two young women out in the mining communities. Rather, it is about what it is like being in toxic workplace where you simply cannot escape, and have to deal with unruly customers, and an arrongant and uncaring bosses. The other thing is that it is clear that he is exploiting them, despite the fact that it does seem that these girls were actually being paid really, really well. However, this still is quite an interesting film, even though I wouldn't necessarily consider it shocking, or surprising in the least.
Yet, despite all of the shock and horror that is recorded about this film, and while I don't condone the behaviour of the patrons, and the boss, the truth is that first of all this was not surprising, and secondly, while they weren't necessarily able to handle it, there were others that could. Honestly, from my experiences in a toxic workplace, I don't necessarily what to suggest that what they experienced wasn't bad, it was, but was I shocked, not really. Was I uncomfortable? Yes, in parts, most definitely.
The thing is that this movie is being used to condemn the macho culture of the mining community, but I'm actually not all that surprised that this is what the culture is like. This isn't something that is restricted to a small town five hundred kilometres east of Perth, this is something that exists pretty much wherever you encounter a harsh environment where there happens to be a huge gender imbalance. In fact the environment doesn't even need to be harsh because you could easily find this type of behaviour in the heart of Silicon Valley. The problem is that this isn't going to change.
I should actually point out that the film makers didn't quite guild the lilly here, because I also noticed that they weren't the only girls out here, there were the two girls they were replacing, who seemed to have absolutely no problems with the behaviour of the locals. Then there were the two middle aged ladies that turned up as well, that didn't seem to have a problem either. Another thing that I should point out is that the two Finnish girls certainly did seem to have a problem with the two English girls, and where making comments about wishing that they would leave.
Yet I can't help but appreciate the enormous pressure that they were under, particularly since you would have guys that would basically invite themselves over, and refuse to leave when asked to. Not only that, but they were regularly attempting to get them drunk, so as to have their way with them. Also, going upstairs when you are ill only to discover some brute upstairs asleep on your couch can be quite disturbing.
The interesting thing is that the owner of the pub didn't seem to be too concerned about the behaviour of the locals. It isn't as if there were any other pubs out there, and he seems to have no problem encouraging his staff being exploited as such. Like, he complains about how useless they are, yet makes the comment at the beginning that he doesn't care whether they are experienced, as long as they are good looking, and further describes them as fresh meat. Yeah, honestly, you really can't have it both ways.
The thing that I have with this movie though is that these girls aren't the only people who find themselves trapped in a toxic workplace. Further, this isn't just about what life is like for two young women out in the mining communities. Rather, it is about what it is like being in toxic workplace where you simply cannot escape, and have to deal with unruly customers, and an arrongant and uncaring bosses. The other thing is that it is clear that he is exploiting them, despite the fact that it does seem that these girls were actually being paid really, really well. However, this still is quite an interesting film, even though I wouldn't necessarily consider it shocking, or surprising in the least.