The Sapphires, in case you haven’t heard, is a new Australian film
starring Chris O’Dowd and Deborah Mailman, which was released in (Aussie)
cinema’s this week (released in the UK in November but no USA release date yet).
Based on the exploits of an Indigenous Australian girl group that toured
Vietnam in the late 1960s, this film is the definition of a feel-good film. If
I sound shocked, it’s because I am, we don’t set to see that many well-made
Australian films have don’t leave me in a deep depression – at least not ones
that don’t deal exclusively in stereotypes (Crocodile
Dundee anyone?) Seriously sometimes I understand why the Australian people don’t
want to see Australian films. But then every so often a film like this comes
along and I am reminded that when we do it right, it’s bloody good.
After seeing The Sapphires I wanted to shout from the roof top about how good it
was and I planned on writing a review, basically in the hopes that I could
convince people to go and see this fantastic film. The problem is I have never
been particularly good at reviewing; besides the whole process doesn’t really
work if I’m really trying to write a call to arms. I mean I could tell you what’s
wrong with this film, it is by no means perfect (it’s not The Avengers after all) but there is more good than bad so really
what’s the point? Instead I thought I would give you a list of other feel good
Australian films that will compliment your viewing of The Sapphires… you see what I did there, I’m just going to assume you’re
going to see it, that way you will have to.
