How Deep Is the Ocean

A quietly stunning film that blends human drama with striking visuals, creating a story that lingers well after the credits roll. What impressed me most about the film was its ability to explore deep emotional currents without ever feeling heavy-handed or melodramatic.

At the heart of the story is a compelling performance by the lead actress, who brings a remarkable depth and subtlety to her character.

The cinematography captures the rugged beauty of the coastal setting, mirroring the emotional journey of the characters. There's a strong use of natural light that gives the film a sense of realism, while the underwater sequences add a dreamlike quality that deepens its themes of connection and loss.

The pacing is deliberate but never sluggish, allowing the story to unfold organically. While it's not an action-packed film, there's an underlying tension that builds as secrets come to the surface, making it quietly gripping. I also appreciated the subtle use of sound design - the ocean is almost a character in itself, its presence felt even when it's not seen, which adds to the film's contemplative atmosphere.

"How Deep is the Ocean" is a slice-of-life drama that follows Eleanor, a young woman in her early twenties, as she moves from Adelaide to a new city, grappling with loneliness and the search for identity. Faced with an unreliable, alcoholic roommate and a rundown room, Eleanor's life feels far from ideal, and her struggles with connection and finding meaningful work are palpable.

The film opens with stunning shots of flowing water, setting the tone for a narrative that is deeply rooted in reality, yet unafraid to embrace life's more poetic moments. The music is thoughtfully crafted, complementing the film's beautiful cinematography. The performances are grounded, authentic, and lived-in, giving the film emotional depth.

I absolutely loved this movie, especially its structure, which feels like a collection of vignettes centered around the people Eleanor encounters. It reminds me of how I reflect on my own youth. It's refreshing to see truly independent films like "How Deep is the Ocean" being made around the world-films that embody the DIY ethos and craft engaging, meaningful stories that connect us on a deeply human level.

Eleanor's compelling journey unfolds against the urban tapestry of Melbourne in 'How Deep Is the Ocean.' Fildes delivers a captivating performance as the enigmatic drifter, navigating a world of exiles and outcasts. The boarding house, cynically named, becomes a crucible of human connections skillfully portrayed by Cochrane. Amidst dead-end jobs and futile affairs, the film intricately weaves a tale of resilience and missed connections. 'How Deep Is the Ocean' transcends its title, emerging as a metaphorical canvas where life's victories, losses, and profound lessons are masterfully depicted. Eleanor's compelling journey unfolds against the urban tapestry of Melbourne in 'How Deep Is the Ocean.' Fildes delivers a captivating performance as the enigmatic drifter, navigating a world of exiles and outcasts. The boarding house, cynically named, becomes a crucible of human connections skillfully portrayed by Cochrane. Amidst dead-end jobs and futile affairs, the film intricately weaves a tale of resilience and missed connections. 'How Deep Is the Ocean' transcends its title, emerging as a metaphorical canvas where life's victories, losses, and profound lessons are masterfully depicted.

A young woman, out of her element and in over her head, tries to find her way in a new city. Moving into a room in a house with a creepy drunk guy we watch her struggle to find a new job and adjust to her new living situation. As she struggles she tries to find love in all the wrong places and pays for her naive mistakes. In this raw and humorous film we see just how friendships can be formed in the strangest ways and coming of age can take a toll. Being that the film was improvised it's quite impressive. The characters are very realistic and natural. The camera work and picture is very well done and being shot in Australia it's an interesting watch.

This film is probably a common tragic story for wandering youth or young adults where the protagonist Eleanor seems to aimlessly drift from one pointless human encounter striving to find some meaning or happiness.

We know fairly little about her apart from her broken family history back in Adelaide and interestingly she spurns the advances of the one character who may likely give her the comfort and security that she really needs in her wandering life.

Despite the occasionally obvious improv dialogue the film actually has a more realistic script than many indie films that try to create natural speech interactions and results in a jumble of words that people often use if conversation.

How Deep is the Ocean is a thoughtful film that does a good job of exploring the loneliness that runaway youth or drifters experience each day. The long unbroken scene takes will likely challenge those with a 3 second attention span but the beauty is in the ability to stop and watch the characters closely and in this Director Andrew Walsh gives us full serving.