West of Sunshine

Greetings again from the darkness. Life's eternal mysteries include the question, how can one be a father when not yet a man? The feature film debut of writer-director Jason Raftopoulos focuses on fatherhood and the price of self-destructive behavior, while finally gathering the strength to right one's self.

Damien Hill stars as Jim, a blue collar courier with a gambling habit that likely cost him his marriage, his previous job, and a solid relationship with his son. Jim is basically a decent guy who can't seem to overcome his weaknesses, which leaves us judging him as a hapless dude who can't buy a clue. The story unfolds over a single day as Jim faces a deadline from the loan shark he owes thousands. Banos (Tony Nikolakopoulos) is a scary looking guy who, in loan shark circles, would be considered relatively patient ... although he has reached the breaking point with Jim.

Of course, Jim has a stellar plan to pay back the money - a "sure thing" on a horse in today's race #2. However, there's a blip (at least one) in his plan. His estranged wife reminds him that today is his day to look after their son Alex (Ty Perham, real life stepson to Mr. Hill). So father and son, rocky relationship and all, take off on a road trip around Melbourne as Jim proves to be one of the city's worst couriers, and a borderline incompetent father. When Jim's horse does in fact pay off, he makes the all-too-familiar mistake of a gambling addict ... rather than pay off the debt, he tries to win more. You can surely guess how that goes.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the father-son team go about tracking down Jim's old contacts in hopes one might help him through this dilemma. It should be noted that Jim and Alex are traveling in style - Jim's classic Ford Fairlane, with quite an impactful story of its own. Support work is provided by Arthur Angel (as Jim's friend and co-worker), Kat Stewart (a former girlfriend who runs an illicit business out of her bakery), Fay Smythe (Jim's wife), and Eliza D'Souza (a would-be girlfriend and yet another Jim lets down).

Being a role model for a kid is not easy for someone as self-destructive as Jim. The steady stream of "I promise" and "I'm sorry" make it clear where Jim's priorities rest. Alex wants to look up to Jim, but spends more time looking down on him. It takes a near catastrophe for Jim to wake up ... a wake up that only occurs when one grows weary of always racing against the clock. Leaving the past behind - both emotionally and with a symbolic sacrifice - is Jim's only path to redemption. Fine, naturalistic performances make these characters relatable to us, and filmmaker Raftopoulos does a nice job with keeping the pace moving along, while never losing that sense of reality.

I can't say that West Of Sunshine will be a movie that I will remember in the future. It's just an average movie, much too slow, lacking of interesting action. The acting isn't bad but with just good acting you're not guaranteed to have a good movie. For that the story is just not captivating enough. It's just about a gambler with a debt trying to earn the money he owes, whilst driving his kid around for one day. Not much thrilling going on, just bad decisions throughout the whole movie. Maybe with a bit more action the movie could have been something but here it's just a movie out of a dozen, a movie I will not remember anything of tomorrow.

Clever low(er) budget drama set in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. Having protagonist as a courier was a great device for us and the character's son to see different parts of the multicultural Melbourne. Don't get me wrong, it's fairly tense throughout. When the father has just found his way out of some trouble you're hoping he doesn't do what you think he's gonna do. What does he do? Well, there's a great look captured in slow motion on the face of actor Damian Hill that gives it away. Top supporting cast and disciplined script. Smart cinematography.

This is a beautiful and sensitively told story of fatherhood, shot with exquisite cinematography, tightly edited and with superb writing. Highly recommended. A wonderful movie.

Well it has it all,shooting killing and action from beginning till end.....jaaast kiddin' though you could wish for it in this gloomy australian production, with camera angles so close up to a face as you can get, ,sound and music are not moodlifting at all. i guess its played out in melbourne or maybe adelaide. its a man hi on dept and the way he struggles and looses and boozes around til he's beaten to glorynights,and like a twist of destiny makes his dept disappear, and all this in one day in his car with his child which he has custody for once in a while,because he is divorced and his ex is a muggle whitch that can kill with her eyes.

alternative title could have been, ''one day daddy day care'' or ''a day at work with my daddy'' or '' doing a line with my daddy'' or '' the day daddy almost died'' or ''my daddy doing drugs driving dining on a dime'' or '' how we made the deal with them dudes''.

must have been my worst comment on a movie, its passable,but boring nitwit that anybody with a car+cam could have done. its not a review for me unless somebody could give me a better reason to.