Amy

I saw this movie at the Heartland Film Festival last year here in Indy, and I though it was probably one of the best movies I saw last year. Even if it wasn't, it was certainly the most original and different I've seen in quite a long time.

It is the story of Amy a young girl who has been mysteriously deaf-mute for several years, for no medical reason. She lives with her protective mother, played by Rachel Griffiths, who tries, with no avail, to understand her daughter's condition.

Most of the plot involves their move to small alley in a downtown Australian town, which is populated with all sorts of different, funny characters. The film goes along with just the right pacing---it doesn't rush or lag, just goes along, much like its characters, who aren't entirely sure of where their lives are going, but go on anyways.

This film blends tragedy, comedy, drama, and fantasy without every confining itself to one genre. It creates its own world, using nothing but a subtle script and incredible acting.

One more comment: I thought that the scene involving the little girl and the little guy, and his drumset had to be one of the cutest scenes I've seen in over a decade.

I rented Amy with hesitance after reading that it was an Australian movie, and to be quite honest with you, I am not a huge fan of the movies that are produced in my country. Amy, however, is a brilliant film which does not focus on the typical Australian stereotypes which have previously dominated the majority of Australian movies. Instead, it relies on fantastic acting, dry humour and an intriguing storyline to capture the audience's attention. As I watched, I found myself being drawn into the mystery of Amy, a young girl who became traumatised after watching an incident which is only revealed after her mother experiences flashbacks to the event in the middle of the movie. This particular scene is superbly acted by Rachel Griffiths, and precisely depicts why Amy has withdrawn herself into a world of silence. Amy is a fantastic film which showcases Australian film production at its very finest.

If we talk about non-American movies, European and Asian cinema are quite well known, but Australia seems to stay behind a bit. However, from time to time one of their movies makes it all the way to one of our TV-stations and sometimes they offer a nice surprise. "Amy" is one of those Australian movies that are more than just worth a watch...

It is about an eight year old girl that has become mentally mute and deaf after she witnessed her father die on a stage during a rock concert. She lives with her mother on a farm, but because the government wants to take her from her mother, they are convinced that she is mistreated by her mom, they both move to the big city. Here they end up in a bad neighborhood, full of people who stand very low on the social ladder. At first the neighbors aren't too happy with the "intruders", but one of them soon finds out that he can communicate with Amy by making music and singing...

Even though the movie had its weaker moments, overall this is a very touching story that has been done in a very nice way. All the singing started to work a bit on my nerves after a while, but it wasn't that awful that it made me forget about the beauty of the movie. I guess you have to be the ultimate macho to say that this movie didn't touch you a bit and even then I wouldn't believe you. Personally I liked this movie very much and that's why I give it at least a 7.5/10.

I'd have to say I wouldn't like this movie half as much as I do if the little girl, Amy, hadn't been such a wonderful actress. I was just blown away by her singing abilities, as well as her acting abilities. I hope we see more of Alana in the future.

The latest film from Australians Nadia Tass and David Parker (Malcom, The Big Steal, Stark, Mr Reliable, Ricky And Pete and Pure Luck) works superbly in some respects and woefully in others.

A little girl (Amy Enker) sees her rock star father (Nick Barker from The Reptiles) die from electrocution on stage. She then seems to be unable to speak or to even hear others. Her mother (Rachel Griffiths) refuses to have her daughter taken from her by welfare and they hide out in inner city Melbourne. There they meet assorted misfits and desperates including a musician called Robert (Ben Mendelsohn).

These film makers enjoy adding a slight touch of surrealism to their movies, especially to the peripheral characters. In Amy this takes the form of stupid eccentrics, in particular singing policemen, which some may find the most appealing element of the film but which I found annoying; only a distraction from that which is so much more effective.

The dramatic aspects of Amy are particularly strong. Rachel Griffiths and Ben Mendelsohn are two of our most emotive actors. The essential element of the film is the emotional pain the little girl and her mother are enduring caused by the death of a man they both loved dearly. Their grief is strongly portrayed.

The search by these two for a solution that may allow the daughter to escape her self imposed withdrawal from the world is poignant and demanded a film that steadfastly remained a drama.

Dad's electrocution, an utterly hateful paparazzi photographer and a helplessly crying young lad reeling from domestic violence and drunkenness are all I needed from Amy. The rest didn't fit at all.

It was also pretty unlikely that the little girl could sing so well, but hey, that's entertainment!