Gegen den Strom

This well acted true story drama is a difficult movie and wont be particularly popular. I gave it an 8 out of 10 although I've got to say I didn't like it so much as appreciate it. The test of a good drama for me is whether you talk about it and question aspects of it after its over. This certainly had me and my wife talking, mainly about the relationships issues that it generates (particularly those between parents and their kids). I won't be recommending this to every friend, but for those that I know that appreciate a movie that makes you think, it gets my vote of confidence. My final comment regards Tony Fingleton himself. If you are out there reading this Tony, all I can say is that I wish you and your family in New York every happiness and success. Nobody should have to experience the kind of torment brought upon you by your father.

"Swimming Upstream" reveals an intense dysfunctional psycho drama behind a competitive sport. It is as moving about a macho male athletic culture, here focused on swimming, as "Friday Night Lights" was about football, particularly as dysfunctionally fueled by alcohol.

Geoffrey Rush gives a searing performance as an alcoholic patriarch who arbitrarily plays his sons against each other for his attention and approval.

Judy Davis, who usually masters powerful women, here is memorable as a buffeted mother drained by caring for five children, poverty and her occasionally violent husband.

Claustrophobic family dynamics are well-captured, particularly in showing how childhood experiences shape adults emotionally forever and what was once a refuge becomes torture.

When the sons reach adolescence the screen is filled by blue-eyed Jesse Spencer (he's in a crew-cut with rippling muscles in the pool so much that I didn't recognize him as the very clothed, longish haired doctor in TV's "House") and the young men in small bathing trunks playing his brothers, in heightened scenes of very physical sibling rivalry and closeness.

The visuals and production design well communicate the bloke culture of Brisbane in the 1950's and early 1960's, from the fading docks, to the pubs, to the locker rooms, to the union halls, that is brutally carried into the family.

The shocked smile on Spencer's face as "Tony Fingleton" discovers a wider culture through his swimming, heck with admiring women in it, is heart warming as I thought that if someone doesn't give that guy a hug already I'll reach through the movie screen and do it myself.

Russell Mulcahy's directing, however, frequently undercuts the power, with unnecessary narration and gimmicky camera moves during intense scenes.

The timetable as years go by is a bit confusing, especially as annual tournaments repeat.

This film has two fantastic leads....Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis. These two characters are developed well in an interesting script. Swimming is so much part of our culture and history. It's great to see a film that captures the drama of competition

I watched Swimming Upstream as part of the judging for Australia's Film Institute awards and was very impressed with it at that screening. The performances are superb, especially Judy Davis and Geoffery Rush. But the real power of the film lies in it's subtext about a father who managed to disregard his own son.

The implications of this, and the way it was so beautifully, visually and poignantly brought to the screen, is one of the true achievements of this film.

Special mention goes to Anthony Fingleton who wrote the screenplay (based on his autobiography) He and co-writer Diane Fingleton have managed to relate an extrordinary situation without trying to answer the greatest puzzle - how could this happen in a loving family.

A real Gem that will no doubt be overlooked by many. A shame.

Since all the reviews I read on this film so far are from Australia, I couldn`t resist to comment on it, if just for showing that it made the other side of the world :-). I bought the DVD because I already am a fan of Jesse Spencer (though I never had the chance to see his "Neighbour"-appearances) - I like him in "Stranded". So I bought the DVD of "Swimming upstream" and was really impressed by his acting-skills. The story lacks a little tempo at times, but the characters played by Jesse Spencer and Judy Davis are really coming to life very well. And the way I dislike Geoffrey Rush`s character is proof of his good job either. Contrary to a previous review I read, I liked the use of the editing machine during the swimming sequences just fine. The only thing that struck me was the music during those sequences, that just was dramatic all right, but way to modern for the time that movie played in. With a little more tempo this might have been a top-league drama, but it still deserves to be better known and I will certainly recommend it to friends of drama-movies.

I hope for Jesse Spencer to find more roles that bring out his talent and make him even better known worldwide. It`s not often that good looks and talent go together (Kevin Zegers is another fine actor that deserves to be better known...).

I still wonder, why Tony`s father disliked his own son that much...I wish no kid would have to live through something like that. Ever!