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The Black Balloon (2008)

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Director:

Elissa Down

Starring:

Rhys Wakefield, Gemma Ward, Toni Collette, Luke Ford, Erik Thomson, Sofia Fedirchuk, Lisa Kowalski, Nathin Butler, Lloyd Allison-Young, Henry Nixon

Genres:

Drama, Indie-Arthouse Cinema

Origin:

Australia

Certificate:

M

Languages:

English

Running Time:

92 min

The Black Balloon

synopsis


When Thomas (Rhys Wakefield) and his family move to a new home and he has to start at a new school, all he wants is to fit in. His pregnant mother (Toni Collette) has to take things easy and Thomas' father Simon (Erik Thomson) puts him in charge of his autistic brother Charlie (Luke Ford). Thomas, with the help of his girlfriend Jackie (Gemma Ward), faces his biggest challenge yet. Charlie's unusual antics take Thomas on an emotional journey that causes his pent up frustrations about his brother to pour out - in a story that is funny, confronting and ultimately heart-warming.

member reviews

 
Some strong acting saves insipid direction
Steve H
30 August 2010
member rating

This is a powerful and descriptive drama of a family barely holding together while coping with the problem of a family member with Autism. Toni Collette provides another brilliant portrayal as the mother barely managing to hold a family together. Between her and Luke Ford and the challenging issues the movie portrays, they manage to hold together what would otherwise be a weak and insipid drama better suited to an episode of Neighbours. Rhys Wakefield seems to deal with all issues of adolescence; from coping with a disabled brother to finding new love, by smiling vapidly and insipidly into the camera, relying more on looks than any acting talent. Gemma Ward supports him with more unbelievable acting and dialogue that altogether shows how a couple of tremendous actors (Collette, Ford) can manage to save a weakly directed movie with insipid leading roles and direction from abject failure.

100% of members found this review helpful


 
 

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