Bran Nue Dae - Session Times And Movie Reviews

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Bran Nue Dae

Movie Info

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Filmed in the desert-scapes of Western Australia's Broome, this exuberant musical road movie - studded with stars of stage and screen including Jessica Mauboy, Ernie Dingo, with Missy Higgins and Geoffrey Rush - began life as a stage musical in the early 90s.

Rated:	[ PG ] Mild violence, sexual references and coarse language
Cinema release:	14 Jan 2010
Director:	Rachel Perkins
Running time:	85 mins
Stars:	Geoffrey Rush, Magda Szubanski, Ernie Dingo
Links:	IMDb Rotten Tomatoes

What we say

Difficult to resist

Paul Stock, MovieFix
3.5 star rating

There are only so many temptations a god-fearing Catholic schoolboy can resist. Cherry Ripe is one thing but Jessica Mauboy is another matter.

While his mother might fancy a career for him in the priesthood, Willie (Rocky McKenzie) helps liberate his Perth boarding school canteen of its chocolate bars. Impending punishment and the headmaster's racial insults set the teenage boy on a road trip to discover parts of his Aboriginal identity and his own set of priorities.

Willie isn't doing a runner just to escape the wrath of Father Benedictus (Geoffrey Rush). He desperately wants to return home to Broome to resume fishing and to see Rosie (Mauboy), a pretty friend he's started having decidedly un-Christian thoughts about.

Willie is assisted in his quest by a man who claims to be his uncle, the scheming Uncle Tadpole (Ernie Dingo), who tricks New Age tourists Annie (Missy Higgins) and Slippery (Tom Budge) into driving the pair "just up the road" to Broome.

While the better acting is done by the professional actors and the better singing by the professional singers, what ensues is a delightful musical comedy. Those actors not making their film debuts (Rush, Dingo and Deborah Mailman) deliver consummate comedic performances and the newbies (McKenzie and Mauboy) are a bit cheesy but adorable.

Directed by Rachel Perkins ("Radiance"), "Bran Nue Dae" is an adaptation of the Jimmy Chi stage musical that toured Australia in the 1990s.

Chi's songs are full of good humour, even as they're engaging the serious issues affecting Indigenous people. Be sure to hang around for the closing credits to enjoy Dan Sultan's gorgeous rendition of 'Nyul Nyul Girl'.

The plot isn't very sophisticated and the production isn't particularly slick, but what "Bran Nue Dae" lacks in polish it makes up for with a charm that's difficult to resist.

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What you say

One for my collection
Absolutely wonderful
Great feel good movie
[Untitled]
[Untitled]
Good fun

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What you say

One for my collection

This is one of those movies that I want in my collection and get it out every now and then to relive it and feel good all over again. What's not to like?..........great cast.......great music....and it's just FUN......loved it

Shane
Murwillumbah, NSW
14 Mar 2010

Absolutely wonderful

I enjoyed it from the beginning to the very end, the music was toetapping and the whole movie so very enjoyable. It was fun and made you feel so very happy when it was over. WOnderful movie ten out of ten.

Veron
Sydney, NSW
25 Feb 2010

Great feel good movie

I loved the soundtrack and the story line was very humorous - great feel-good movie

Anonymous
Melbourne, VIC
22 Feb 2010

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very refreshingly different and loved the humour enjoyed the story and the music and the actors

julia howard
Brisbane, QLD
26 Jan 2010

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Bran nue dae is a great movie it is halirious and everyone will love it because it has a bit of everything, i would reccomend it to anyone and everyone.

Anonymous
Toowoomba, QLD
26 Jan 2010

Good fun

This is one not to be missed. It is delightful (and insighhtful) comedy, with some really good performances. The singing and dancing is first rate.

makofski
Curtin, NSW
24 Jan 2010