Blessed

I attended the International Premiere of "Blessed" at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. Many of my favorite films have come from Australia, so I had high hopes going into "Blessed," and was not disappointed. This is just the kind of film I look for -- a sweet little gem that will make you laugh and cry.

"Blessed" follows five mothers and seven kids -- three boys and four girls -- aged 14-18, as they wander the streets after having run away or been abandoned by their parents. Left to fend for themselves, each teen's plight is poignantly portrayed by a talented young group of Australian actors culled from thousands. Mostly unknowns, I did recognize the terrific Harrison Gilbertson as Daniel, who starred in "Accidents Happen," one of favorites from this year's Tribeca Film Festival. The mothers are appropriately anguished at the apparent loss of their loved ones, not knowing whether or not they'll ever come home. The vulnerable teens fall prey to their own as well as others' desires, and there are enough twists and turns to add additional layers to an already compelling set of stories. "Blessed" left me with a smile on my face and a tear in my eye. It's a superb character-driven study of the bond between mothers and children.

I have to agree with the Sydney Morning Herald blogger, Giles Hardie, who today put "Blessed" in his "10 Turkeys of 2009" list - in direct contradiction to his SMH Film Reviewer (the beyond middle aged Sandra Hall) who gave it 4 stars. Hardie nails it between the eyes and is worth quoting in full : "In a year of prolific Australian film making, it takes a stand out effort to make the worst film. Congratulations to the team behind Blessed who mistook melodrama for content, predictability for pathos, tokenism for meaning. The names behind this film were stellar, and that only made their fall from grace harder to bear." My only question is ..."what is it with Melbourne film-makers?" Do they have their own funding channel ... is it a Paul Cox thing ? Why do they continue to keep funding failed directors? Ana Kokkinos should have been sent back to screen writing 101 after "the Book Of Revelation" ... yet Film Victoria handsomely funded this overblown (& expensive) turgid soap opera. I don't get it. I think it's box office says it all - it appealed to no-one ! Ye Gods. 2 hours of my life I'll never get back.

This film is fantastic. Beautifully crafted, brilliantly acted, comes together incredibly.

Ana Kokkinos' Blessed is a heartbreaking tale of the love between mothers and their children, and is one of the finest achievements of Australian cinema. The flawless screenplay follows a number of characters through a single day, deftly telling their stories from different points of view until we develop a full understanding of the day's events. Geoff Burton's stunning cinematography focuses on unexpected things – a pattern on a wall, a flash of fabric – and then moves in close to the characters, creating a rich visual texture. The music of Cezary Skubiszewski is one of the finest movie scores of recent years, gently enhancing the drama and the brilliant performances of the actors. The entire cast is superb, but I must make special mention of Frances O'Connor, who gives the performance of her life, and the splendid Monica Maughan, whose brief appearance in the film is truly unforgettable. Blessed represents a triumphant return to form for Kokkinos, after the disappointing Book of Revelation, proving that the astonishing Head On was no fluke. Her uncompromising, insightful, deeply humanist eye makes her one of the most exciting directors working today. Blessed is a deeply moving film that you will never forget, and deserves to be showered with awards.

I totally disagree with the first review of Blessed. I found the film utterly absorbing and very moving and I was totally caught up in the unfolding dramas of the children's (and their mothers') lives. I don't agree that the story was clichéd or the characters one-dimensional. Other members of my film discussion group said the same thing - not one person found fault with the film. It was bleak and sad but certainly spoke to me as a mother and former teacher. The young actors who played the children were marvellous and the adult actors played their parts in a very low-key and realistic way. I barely registered the fact that some of them were among Australia's top actors. As I came out of the cinema I was thinking, 'There but for the grace of god go I...' Anna Kokkinos has done a wonderful job. The cinema I saw it in was full, and at the end hardly anybody left while the end credits were rolling (most unusual). You could have heard a pin drop. I highly recommend this film.