Here Out West

Here Out West sets out with a powerful goal-to tell a series of interconnected stories from diverse Western Sydney communities-and in many ways, it succeeds in offering a fresh, grounded perspective rarely seen in Australian cinema. The film is full of cultural richness and heartfelt moments, clearly made with love and authenticity.

Told through eight writers and multiple directors, the anthology format is both the film's strength and weakness. While some segments are emotionally resonant and beautifully performed, others feel underdeveloped or tonally disconnected. The constant shifting can make it hard to stay invested, with some narratives stronger than others.

The cast, made up largely of fresh talent and community voices, delivers sincere performances across the board. The film's commitment to representing a multicultural Australia is admirable and long overdue, especially in a cinematic landscape that often overlooks these stories.

However, Here Out West doesn't quite reach the narrative cohesion or emotional depth it aims for. It feels more like a promising showcase of emerging voices than a fully satisfying standalone film.

That said, it's definitely worth watching for its bold attempt to reshape what "Australian cinema" looks like. A mixed bag-but one with heart.

I thought it was just great to see all the different migrant communities represented in a local Australian production. Sure some of them were amateurs but the writing was solid as was the directing.

Sometimes you just don't realise how many different communities make up this great city of ours.

Plus, it was refreshing to see normal looking people represented in a major production and given a go at the roles of the crew as well.

The stories really came together well and I didn't think at any point that it was far fetched or poorly shot.

I'd highly recommend this to all Austalians!

Give it a go!

HERE OUT WEST is a heart-wrenching tv drama movie that will have you on the edge of your seat. The story follows a grandmother who, desperate to save her sick grandson, kidnaps him from the hospital. This sets off a series of events that leads to the intersection of several strangers as the story unfolds. The movie is a series of eight separate, but interrelated, stories directed by different directors tied seamlessly together into a coherent story as it explores themes of love, joy, acceptance, despair, family, and grief.

The cast did an amazing job of bringing the diverse characters to life. The movie was expertly shot and edited, with beautiful cinematography throughout. The music was also perfect for the film, adding to the emotional impact. Pacing is key in a movie like this, and HERE OUT WEST never let up the tension for a moment.

HERE OUT WEST portrays its characters in a manner that avoids the typical cliches and stereotypes of Australian peoples and cultures. It's fresh, believable, and entertaining. The result is a powerful, moving film that is sure to stay with you long after you've seen it.

The lack of reviews on here is a testament to the films failure of no-one having even heard of the film or it didn't even have a pulse enough for people to waste their time any further. Firstly the film is photographed well and some of the locations ring true of west-sydney but some don't actually represent the true real-life locations that we all know well. There are a few good actors, but i can count them on one-hand, the rest are NON-ACTORS and its very obvious and really lets the film down.

Now this is a truthful review that breaks down the film in all its areas. The writing is amateurish and not interesting enough to hold my attention, furthermore the dialogue is very poor and even cringy. The whole UNORIGINAL idea of the crash-film-style of intertwining stories that come together left no real-impact whatsoever, I was so disappointed on the lack of emotion.

It was some-what boring and there was NO real drive for a story or any real objective. It's ok to give diverse people opportunities but let's make sure that they are qualified. What people need to know is this was more an experiment done by Screen Australia to tick some diversity boxes. I do wish everyone involved the very best, but my family and were so excited to sit down and watch this on ABC IVIEW and being originally from west Sydney and being from a immigrant background, we felt greatly disappointed at the stories that were chosen. DONT WASTE YOUR TIME.

Also it's ok to have cliche's and it's ok to have stereotypes but just make sure they ring-true to life and they are handled with intelligence and grace and that they do not become caricatures.

Nothing sanitised in this production, so many stories interlinked ( style reminded me of The Turning) , real people just trying to get by , love of family, migrants trying hard to make the best of things in a new country, mixed race friendships forming, the ridicule people suffer, the generational gap relevant to all peoples, all so honest - the Eternal Dance segment was so beautifully told , the Musician so sad , I cried with the young nurse - and then we saw her story her own separation . We really loved this film and all its stories , and all its peoples - a very brave and wonderful project ! Congratulations to all involved !