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Directed by Mark
Joffe
Writers: Max
Dann and Andrew Knight
Also starring: Anthony Hopkins (Wallace), Ben Mendelsohn
(Carey), Alwyn Kurts (Mr. Ball), Bruno Lawrence (Robert),
John Walton (Finn), Rebecca Rigg (Cheryl), Toni Collette
(Wendy)
My favorite part of watching this
movie came when the credits started to roll,and the song
"Catch the Wind" began playing. This is a classic
Donovan tune that I never heard before and I love it.
As this is one of his first movies, I couldn't wait to see
what Russell looked like, how he moved, how he acts. All
I can say is, he was a live wire.
His character, Kim, is an arrogant but shrewd young man
on his way up... even if his success comes at the expense
of the odd characters he works with. You, the viewer, are
obviously supposed to be rooting for the small guy, the
sweet, loyal employees of this Australian shoe factory.
But Kim is so direct, intelligent, and unashamed of his
ambition that he contrasts too much with their dimness and
passivity, and you end up rooting for him despite his ruthlessness.
He's so cocky and sure of himself that it's funny, especially
when he's roughing up Carrey, the besotted co-worker who
has a crush on the girl Kim is seeing.
 Everybody
wins in this charming (and unrealistic) story-- Kim leaves
the factory to work where his shark instincts will be best
utilized, the owner of the factory learns how to get his
finances in order without losing his employees, Wallace
grows in wisdom and understanding, and romantically, the
right guy ends up with the right girl. When does this ever
happen? LOL
I can't help but wonder when I see an actor in a role, did
he do that on his own, or did the director tell him to do
that? I laughed out loud when Kim was physically holding
the car door shut until Wallace agreed to meet with him,
and was impressed with his natural whistle when he spotted
Cheryl, the girl who is the object of his affections. Whoever
comes up with "the little things", I don't know,
but Russell nailed this character.
Rated: 3 crowes
~kaili
Thanks to the
Crowe
Slide Shows for the screen captures!
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