Palm Beach

Nobody expects originality in the 'old buddy life-audit' genre. Ask any baby-boomer to name their favourite and it is likely that The Big Chill (1983) will pop up as the benchmark film. The structure is always the same: long-time friends reconnect around a milestone event which slowly descends into sub-plots of secrets and discontent, flavoured by a soundtrack evocative of youth and unfulfilled promise. Palm Beach (2019) follows this format exactly. However, instead of reflecting on the youthful idealism of the 1960s, it is set in a modern context of insatiable white middle-class privilege for an ageing group of malcontents, especially of the male variety.

The single impressive feature of the film is the spectacular panoramic Palm Beach setting on Sydney's Northern Beaches, filmed beautifully with lingering shots of every lovely lighting angle the wealthy can afford. The views are complemented by a stellar local ensemble that includes Bryan Brown, Richard E. Grant, Sam Neill and Greta Scacchi, all of whom play such evenly predictable parts that there may be arguments over whether anybody actually stars in this production. The sourness of this ageing cohort (nobody is seen happy) is given light relief with a few young offspring and a couple of sight gags.

The film's entertainment value rests on comic tropes, blended into a potpourri of indignities familiar to the seniors' demographic. These include nostalgia over failed careers and unresolved affairs, depression, drug abuse, sexual impotence, disappearing libido, disputed parentage, wealth envy, sagging bottoms, and even a breast prosthetic thrown to the floor with a rubbery flump. The flat tension curve is given an upward blip with a psychotic episode where the host becomes so incensed that his panoramic views are blighted by a neighbour's chimney that he attacks it with a sledgehammer. The only other moment where viewers' pulse rate might rise is a boating accident that rudely interrupts the enjoyment of views and fine wine. Given the spoilt misery amongst the group, it is laughable when one of the wives suddenly tries to leave her hapless husband but relents feebly with "just promise me that the next ten years will be the best time of our lives".

Palm Beach is pretty to look at, light-hearted and mildly entertaining. It is also slow moving, over-acted, and lightweight. It will probably have a short shelf life and struggle to find audiences beyond the well-off suburbs around Sydney. It could have been so much better.

Director: Rachel Ward Stars: Bryan Brown, Richard E. Grant, Sam Neill, Greta Scacchi

Enjoyed this movie more than I expected, such great views and family secrets to keep the pot boiling so to speak

Frank (Bryan Brown) is having a big birthday party so he invites his best friends Leo (Sam Neill) and Billy (Richard E Grant) with their spouses and families to his house in PALM BEACH. It doesn't take long for the grudges, old and new, to emerge and the old secrets refuse to be buried. The commotion that rocks the three families threatens to ruin the holiday. What will it take to get things back on track?

Exploring the nature of a true family, that goes far beyond blood relations, PALM BEACH is a colourful portrait of a lifelong friendship with all its outcomes, good and bad, beautiful and ugly.

While the dining table drama-comedy has become its own sub genre in France (Little White Lies, Namesake) and Italy (PERFECT STRANGERS) middle class families rarely take centre stage in Australian film.

Palm beach takes a very Australian approach, avoiding high concept drama, it is breezy summer fun that focuses on the characters' onscreen chemistry. Sam Neill and Bryan Brown celebrate their birthdays together in real life, and it shows. Add a great location, breathtaking views, a catchy seventies soundtrack and you get an hour and a half of a cosy dramedy where jokes are never forced and funny, and the sad moments ring true.

Director Rachel Ward (who is also credited as one of the writers) gives an unexpected depth to a simple story, makes some basic ideas look interesting and fresh, and manages to deliver the point without preaching.

Some films are a remedy and a getaway from real life problems. See this movie. Be this party's crasher. You won't want it to end.

My Review- Palm Beach 6/10

I wish this Australian movie success just because I support our film industry but it wasn't my cuppa tea at all.

It's set of course in one of the most beautiful beach side settings in Australia so it looks splendid but I just couldn't warm to any of these spoiled self indulgent Nouveau riche characters.

The saying house guests are like fish , they go off after 2 days is more than true with these characters , they went off for me about half an hour in to the story and began to wish for a Tsunami to whisk them away. Especially Richard E Grant as Billy an insipid , sarcastic failed musician who taunts the host and mocks his wife.

All the stereotypes of dysfunctional family characters are on display in Palm Beach , the ageing actress , the dutiful but unhappy wife , the spoiled indulged adult children and all the men are in crisis of some sort or another.

The acting is good, the setting is delightful the script is ok but one particular scene involving a chimney demolition and the underlying tension involving DNA identification left me at the end thinking I really dislike these people .

I much preferred meeting The Fockers , at least they were interesting but perhaps unlike me you may enjoy it .

I just thought it was like an enticing chocolate wrapped in gold foil but when eaten, a little bitter and disappointing.

10 out of 10 for the cinematography and production design. I love my films to look like tourism commercials, and we don't do enough of that in Australian cinema.

But as a thirtysomething female, the content of this film really irritated me. It's a bit hard to watch a bunch of privileged, egotistical, white male baby boomers sip Dom Perignon in a Palm Beach mansion and lament about their "real-life problems" - even if it is somebody's birthday!

I'm reminded enough of this generation wealth and health gap going to work everyday; this isn't something I want to watch on the big screen too.

Having said that, if you are an older male, then finally someone has made a film for you. There have been a string of films like this for the over 60s women, now men it's your turn!

You can not fault the actual film making, everything is beautiful, and I want to support Australian film, I'm just the wrong target-market.