Bloom

Bloom is a great new piece of original drama straight out of Australia. From the opening scene I was hooked. While Australian stalwart actors Bryan Brown and Jacki Weaver give it some street cred, the young actors (particularly Ryan Corr) really steal the show. At only 6 hour long episodes it was easy to binge watch over the course of a day. The country town setting is very Australian. (Having come from one I can attest to that), the pace is great, with each episode ending on a cliff hanger. I also loved that it included a couple of same-sex couples stories with care and grace. This is one of the most original stories I've seen in a long time. Of course you need to leave reality at the door, so sit down, relax and enjoy the story.

Bloom makes a valiant effort at trying to carry a wafer thin script over 6 hour long episodes but comes up well short. Firstly the positives it is beautifully shot with top class cinematography, there are some nuanced preformances from the likes of Brian Brown and Jackie Weaver but the standout performance is Ryan Corr who steals the show with his multilayered complex performance, a true star in the making. Sadly Phoebe Tonkin does not have the acting prowess nor the script to make the character of Gwen anyway intriguing nor memorable but the weakest link acting wise is that of Max played by an OTT clunky cringing Sam Reid whom gives a truly hammy performance. The script could have been edited to four episodes as six is much too long for a dragged out premise. If there is to be a second series I hope Ryan Corr's character could be explored further a much tighter condensed series could figuratively bloom

I nearly wasn't going to continue with it after episode one, but I pushed through. I'm thankful I did. It wasn't a masterpiece, but a few characters gripped me, others did not. I think it could have been condensed into 4 episodes instead of 6, as a few scenes (the entirety of episode 1) dragged out and were unnecessary to the plot. Overall, I enjoyed it. I'm hoping the upcoming second season will be slightly better, but the story felt finished so I'm intrigued with how they will continue it. Good quarantine/self-isolation entertainment.

Suspend belief and be transported to an idyllic country town in Victoria, Australia. The town is run down and many of the residents affected by a flood 12 months earlier. Slowly the story evolves to yield a complex web of connection between the main cast. The sci-fi is understated. No clever morphing or over the top blue screen special effects. This is old school film-making where the plot slowly exposes the frailities of the characters and their decisions to revisit their youth. The photography and settings are visually pleasing, the acting great. If you analyse the plot development too much it has a number of holes even if you accept the initial fountain of youth concept. A little too long, it is a commitment but worth the journey. I am not generally a sci-fi viewer, but this one captured me.

We went in to this without any spoilers and enjoyed the whole series over two days. Great established Aussie cast and some new talent too that only made it better. A believable tale with some Supernatural thrown in. With a look. We don't often give a high score like this.