Soft Fruit

The performances are fabulous, but what really makes this movie special is the care which has been taken to build a symphony of metaphor in the relationships in this family. Clearly done from a woman's point of view (the men can't cope, and all that's needed is for the father to reunite with the son), this piece still goes beyond the usual chick-flick tear-jerker to keep you involved with fascinating metaphors and unlikely characters which nonetheless tell the truth. I am appalled that it has yet to receive distribution.

There is a moment in the film between Russell Dykstras character and the father, Russell Dykstra strips naked, and then his father does the same to get him in the car, and they kind of stare at each other for about 3 seconds, and for that moment in the film, something magical happens, but it was a real connected moment between them and I think it made the film what it is. Just that moment.

There is a moment in the film between Russell Dykstras character and the father, Russell Dykstra strips naked, and then his father does the same to get him in the car, and they kind of stare at each other for about 3 seconds, and for that moment in the film, something magical happens, but it was a real connected moment between them and I think it made the film what it is. Just that moment.

Christina Andreef's short films have always shown great promise for a feature film. I was worried that she might fall victim to the quirky Aussie trade mark of filmmaking and create jokes around another dysfunctional family gathering for one last flight. But she pulled it off! SOFT FRUIT tells the tale of a blue collar family in the industrial area of Port Kembla who gather for their dying mother. Normally families come together after the death of a parent but in this instant the mother is still alive and part of the fun as each child comes back home with a suitcase full of problems and past confrontations. And what a joy it is to sit back and watch a family as screwed up as your own. There are a few questionable moments but the film manages to pull itself together in a tight 102 minute package.

This movie was very moving and one of those movies that makes you think about life and the choices that you make. In my opinion Soft Fruit did not get as much attention as it deserved and was over looked. Jeanie Drynan is a great actress and has starred in such movies as Muriel's wedding. In Muriel's wedding Jeanie's character was such a sad character to follow but you could truly feel her pain and struggles. The line up in Soft Fruit is fantastic and the acting is also believable and enjoyable. I still can't find a copy of Soft Fruit and have not seen it since the year it was released. It speaks volumes when you see a movie and still think about it 12 years later. I can't even find it on Netflix but, if you are fortunate to run across this movie you should watch it.

I saw Soft Fruit for the second time to day and I have to say I loved it even more the second time round. This is the funniest movie I have seen in ages. There are many things that make this movie work. Firstly the realism of the family. They looked like they were a real family and that they belonged together. Not only that but it was their surroundings. They didn't live in the best house, they didn't have the best jobs, they didn't drive the best or the fastest cars. They were like real people living real lives. The good humor in this movie made it even more enjoyable. I would recommend this movie to anyone looking for a real story, with real people and real laughs.