Um Caso de Amor

The first time I saw this film I liked it for it's ability to reach such a wide audience. Male, female, gay, straight, young and old. With superior acting and a quiet, simple tone, it's stellar on so many levels. I like this movie more each time I see it. I usually hate when character's speak to the audience but this is one of the few occasions where it works well. One of Crowe's best performances. It was great to see a gay character that wasn't stereotypical in any way... just a guy but a guy that isn't afraid to be sensitive or tough without being wishy washy or macho. A great dead-on performance of an everyman who just happens to like men. Supporting cast is great. All performances feel natural. Directing is straightforward and the editing is lyrical. If you're heterosexual, don't be put off. The themes here are universal. A great slice of cinema no matter what your sexuality.

A very surprisingly wonderful film. I can't believe a film like this was so popular in Australia in 1994. I'm also annoyed that films like this don't get more exposure in the US. I liked it very much and Russell Crowe's performance was really touching. He really projected a sincerity that is rare in film, and even more rare in gay themed cinema. I also liked the father's character and the "reasoning" he presented - too bad all parents can't think that way. I thought the actors speaking to the audience worked, flowed very naturally, and was not overdone. With so much junk coming out of Hollywood, nice indie films like this are a welcome reprieve.

"Aussie" Film Stars Jack Thompson and Russell Crowe as father & son "best friends", looking for lasting love/companionship with a life partner. The aging "dad", who is a widower, habitually tries to play cupid for his gay 20-something son, seemingly spoiling all chances of "success", and eventually starts a search for his own second love.

This film is hilarious, filled with great gags throughout. The deeper message of tolerance towards gays and lesbians, as well as loyalty to a loved one in need (when the father suffers a stroke, the son refuses to abandon him, caring for him like a parent would care for a small child) is not diminished by the brilliant humor which surrounds it. "Sap-lovers" will get their fill as well!

Honored with many International Film Awards, "The Sum Of Us" adds up to a big winner! Highly recommended!

Saw this again for the first time for almost a decade, on the Sundance Channel during their Pride Festival. The character-to-camera (audience) device seems a lot stagier now than it did when I first saw it, but overall it doesn't mar any of the film's inherent bittersweet attraction.

I've always been a sucker for good father/son relationship movies, and this ranks up there with the best, and not because of the twist: Harry's (Jack Thompson) almost too-willing acceptance of his son's gayness. What makes it ultimately work is the true love, respect and affection that they have for one another, a bond that is sorely tested in the film's third.

Thompson is funny and engaging in a kind of role that he's not usually known for, (for that, see the excellent BREAKER MORANT.) And as for Russell...I saw this for the first time only weeks after seeing ROMPER STOMPER, and not only was it a startling contrast, but a sure-fire sign that this boyo was a talent to watch even in the early stages (now proven a thousand times over.)

And here's another refreshing difference: nobody's in OTT drag, (you can rent TO WONG FOO for that), nobody gets AIDS, OD's, commits suicide or otherwise meets the Grim Reaper most tragically, as gay characters are wont to do in most big-budget Hollyweird "gay-friendly" dramas.

David Stevens writing remains true to the joys of "Australiana" (a new word that I love, thanks to an earlier reviewer here), which means that some less-experienced viewers may find Harry's extremely tolerable demeanor and the turn from comedy to tragedy off-putting. (For other references to similar scenarios, see MURIEL'S WEDDING, SWEETIE and of course, MOULIN ROUGE.)

But for me, it's a rare-look back at the kind of risk-taking that Russell may never again explore in his career. More than worth the cost of a rental or your time, if you can catch it.

This movie is the most delightful example of REAL family values ever made. Russell Crowe is adorable as the rugby-playing gay son of a charming Sydney widower played by Australia's favorite actor, Jack Thompson. This movie was number one at box offices across Australia when it came out, and it is a pity it never got wider showing in America, because it is brilliantly made, beautifully performed, and so important that it should be required viewing for all families.

What goes around comes around. The gay son's dad is supportive of him and his search for love, so in the end, when the father has a stroke, the son is there to take care of him. The beautiful and true statement made by this film is enough reason to see it. But add to that some truly stunning views of Sydney, some great comedy, and a really charming romance between the father and a woman he met through a dating service, and you have one of the great cinematic delights of the 1990s. See this film and you will be glad you did.