Accidents Happen

I recently ventured to the 8th Annual Tribeca Film Festival to see the anticipated film "Accidents Happen".

I was aware that the wonderful Geena Davis was in the picture which enticed me but was unaware that the cast had a few outstanding younger actors.

I expected a great film from the first scene but did not expect the outstanding, true and genuine performance that a young new shining talent - Harry Cook gave from start to finish. Every scene was honest & true there was an underlining depth that young actors rarely possess. I am never teary in films, but Cook's incredible performance brought me to tears on more than one occasion.

14 yr old Harrison Gilbertson also stood out in this film to me as someone you genuinely cared for. The cast were fabulous.

It was an absolute pleasure to watch this film & Harry Cook stood out in my eyes as truly remarkable talent that the world has been searching for for quite some time. I'm very impressed by everyone's work & look forward to seeing more from them all in the future.

Jane Griffin review-tribecafilm-accidentshappen09(C)

I was fortunate enough to see this film at the world premiere at the TriBeCa Film Festival. And I have to say I loved it. From the opening frames it proved itself to be a film which is fresh, funny, sad, curious and smart.

Geena Davis is a delight to watch as she inhabits this rather self-focused, wise talking character who surprises us constantly with her ability to move through tragedy and yet still find humor and heart.

Newcomer Harrison Gilbertson, at just 14 years old, shows incredible depth of maturity and range as his character Billy Conway deals with the ups and downs of life.

It's essentially a story of life, albeit a life peppered with tragic accidents. But it manages to avoid being bleak, which is quite a feat given some of the subject matter. It's always human and the writing by Brian Carbee is sharp, funny and poignant.

A great film whose visually stunning scenes will continue to replay in my mind, thanks to the brilliance of first time director Andrew Lancaster and cinematographer Ben Nott.

Don't miss it.

It's 1982, and Billy Conway (Harrison Gilbertson) lives in a shattered family. Eight years ago, his family was in a car accident that killed his sister and made his brother a vegetable. His father has since left the family. His older brother is an angry drunk. His mother (Geena Davis) is struggling mightily to keep things together.

The boy is an irresponsible destructive selfish brat. It is impossible to root for him. Certainly he makes it hard to find anything likable in his behavior. It is very tiring to watch this idiot destroy everything he touches. Geena Davis does get some great lines. In one superb scene, she almost saves the movie all by herself. She's really the only thing to watch this movie for.

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN – CATCH IT ( B+ ) Accident happen, is truly a delightful surprise. I am a sucker for Dysfunctional families and Coming of Age movies and this was a perfect combination of both. The movie is beautifully crafted and the slow motion accidents sequences are wonderfully shot. I really appreciate the director Andrew Lancaster who choose a simple story and portrayed so beautifully plus the comic view of severe issue was a different touch. Geena Devis did a fantastic job & her comic timing was just perfect. She proved yet again that she is a great actress. Harrison Gilbertson stole the show for me, he is cute kid and a great performer. I could see in her eyes how talented he was and standing in front of Geena Davis in such complex yet humorous story was wonderful. I surely can bet he will be a huge once he grows up a little more. Overall a great movie with great ensemble cast. Everyone did a great job making this movie memorable for me. Watch it!

'Monumental' was the word that flashed through my mind during the emotional climax. The film itself or the emotional place it had taken me to, I don't know, but that was the word. Mostly I laughed my way through the film but when I stopped laughing I cried great buckets. I also had to keep relaxing the tension in my face and body as I found it a very stressful journey. Right from the beginning we learn that there will be no easy outs, anything and everything can happen. Like all good films this one let me leave my inner critic at the door and completely surrender to the unfolding twisting tale of searing black comedy and bitter soulful tragedy.

Geena Davis has always been brilliant but has she ever had such a brilliantly written role? Has any female actor? What starts as a dragon that breathes caustic wit unravels to reveal a woman that despite all odds continues to be the foundation, mortar and soulful centre for everyone. I found her character so utterly real and so refreshing for a female lead. She had balls, vulnerability, sex appeal, intelligence and of course great wit.

It must be hard for any nationality to see themselves played by others. One character is one thing but a whole neighbourhood and era could seem presumptuous. I couldn't comment on US reaction, accents or historical correctness, however, I did find it interesting to apply Australian storytelling to a universal tale and then set it in North America. What you get is an almost unbearably tragic but ultimately stoic tale told through an unrelenting, disposable wit and a brevity of emotion which never once falls into sentimentality or over indulgence.

It is sumptuous to watch in its cinematography and art direction and the young cast is deftly directed to deal with some of life's cruelest blows. What matters most is the story and there is so much meat to chew on in terms of character, plot and themes. It moves so swiftly from one cataclysmic event to the next proving not only that in life the only constant is change but also that it is bloody hard to keep up with that change; that life is uncontrollable and we are at its mercy to make sense of its absurdity. This film has a great future for a hip audience. From a viewer's entertainment perspective this film is monumental.