Newcastle

I really wanted to like this movie. I generally like coming-of-age movies, and surf movies, and growing-up-gay movies. But I found the characters in this movie (with a couple of exceptions) a bunch of unlikable louts who spend much of the movie in testosterone-driven chest-butting, and I just couldn't care about them. The loutishness leads to a certain predictable amount of melodrama, and some psychologically simplistic soul-searching on the way to tying up ends. The only likable characters were the protagonist's younger brother (the gay one, who takes a lot of psychological abuse for his gayness), and the sympathetic grandfather (the only guy in the family who seems to show any affection for the younger brother). These are secondary characters. The young brother's coming to terms with his sexuality and tentative romantic exploration with one of the surfers is a minor subplot of the film. On the up side, the young guys (and gals) in the film look great, and the surfing footage is really nice, especially some of the underwater footage. But by the end of the movie, I was not sorry to leave the company of a group of characters that I mostly found unpleasant and unsympathetic.

This is going to have to become a gay cult favourite given the array of pretty boys on display here romping around with each other and the only remotely heterosexual action being a guy failing to satisfy his prospective girlfriend while his pal gets a blow job from her pal under the covers. I mean, at a couple points near the end one is left wondering whether or not the twin brothers are going to end up making out.

This movie could have probably done with a bit of tighter editing with some scenes such as the campfire scene and the trip out to the pivotal surf site dragging on a bit long, but the in-water scenes are particularly good though essentially limited to two fairly brief but crucial points in the film.

Shane Jacobson has a touching turn as the father, but unfortunately it is very difficult to picture him as anyone other than his legendary alter-ego Kenny and sadly for me this somewhat overshadowed his performance.

I'd give this a 6 out of 10 and several people at the screening I saw left part way through, but for the reasons stated above there may be those for whom this film is a lot more appealing.

NEWCASTLE (in Australia) is an interesting take on the very male beauty pageant that is Australian surf culture among teen/20 somethings... and viewers should be aware that the writer/director Dan Castle is a gay film maker. As a result his awareness of the visual aspects of the young male form in surf sand and sex scenes is to the fore of this 'pretty' film. Reminiscent of PUBERTY BLUES (1982) and BIG Wednesday (1978) and a male version of BLUE CRUSH without the surf contest, NEWCASTLE shows the Australian mid coast steel city's glorious beaches and aqua waters with frolicking male beauty and testosterone challenges. It has a reasonably interesting storyline and some surprises and one very startling moment in the dunes, but somehow lacks gravity. The Parents and Grandfather are 'just there' as characters, the girls no more than a distraction from the boy antics, the older brother issues..all just get enough screen time to make them vaguely followable. Visually it is a triumph with incredible photography of almost being in the surf with the guys, and an affection for the male form that only a committed gay film maker could possibly dare to present. The young actors were very game to agree to participate and in the future would be proud of their achievement. Xavier Samuels, the least pretty of the boys ironically has gone onto bigger and better things in the TWILIGHT series. NEWCASTLE is a state of mind, an erogenous zone and a great place to surf. Some terrific scenes at the very surreal Newcaslte ocean pool are almost scenes from A BIGGER SPLASH. It is exceptionally well cast. The star of the film no doubt is the unforgettable photography during the surfing scenes. Overall, there is a lot of near nudity and some completely nude sequences. It must have played to screaming audiences in a packed cinema.

Once in a while a film comes along which tries to be bold, daring, and provocative while still retaining enough "warm and fuzzy' to appeal to American audiences. The result is usually a self-indulgent train wreck that smacks of too many engineers in the locomotive. First time writer/director Dan Castle attempts it in "Newcastle," and the result will leave audiences wide-eyed with amazement.

The setting is a section of Australia flanked by the sound of heavy industry on one side and the crash of some of the best waves in the world on the other. It is here that a complex family drama is played out, with three brothers caught in a struggle for individual freedom and respect from each other. Older brother Victor has seen his championship surfing days come and go, so it's no wonder he harbors some resentment towards his 17-year-old brother Jesse, on the rise to becoming a champion himself. Jesse's twin brother Fergus throws everyone for a loop with his ever-changing hair color and enigmatic personality. Dad tries to hold it all together but, like any working class parent, struggles to find the time to even be present enough to make a difference. An assortment of surfer guys and gals adds even more peer pressure, and what starts out as a beach outing becomes a defining moment for everyone.

That said, "Newcastle" is anything but a film about surfing. Yes, it was a requirement that the actors be able to surf, but most young Australians do anyway. So casting was not a problem. And it's this brilliant ensemble cast that makes the multi-layered narrative work so well. Themes of parental responsibility, sibling rivalry, and unspoken sexuality revolve around a gritty coming-of-age story which, ultimately, is really more about brotherly love than anything else.

The story's true focus is on the relationships among the young men, specifically the two younger brothers and their feelings towards each other, their parents, their mates, and their girls, or guys, as the case may be. It's always hard to single anyone out in an ensemble cast but this film touches the heart more than anything by the performances of Lachlan Buchanan and Xavier Samuel as Jesse and Fergus. Their relationship is both heartening and heartbreaking in turn, and it only works because the on screen chemistry is so palpable. Their commanding presence says that these guys have a bright future in cinema. Reshad Strik is riveting as the tortured older brother and Shane Jacobson shines as the father who is the antithesis of the typical American movie's working class brute of a dad – this guy has the heart of an ox. Kirk Jenkins (Andy), Ben Milliken (Nathan), and Israel Cannan (Scotty) are the core of the surfer mates – Cannan provides much of the film's comic relief (and contributes several songs to the soundtrack). All add nuances and layers to their characters which surface when one least expects it.

Production values belie the film's modest budget, with the polished look of a Hollywood movie from the first to last breaking wave. The soundtrack is killer, an absolute requirement for any film featuring competitive sports. Most of all, though, the cinematography is breathtaking. Richard Michalak's shots of surfers riding the waves, with his camera looking up from the ocean floor, had me shaking my head with wonder. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. I avoid spoilers at any cost but I feel confident in saying that there are several scenes which will bring tears to your eyes. "Newcastle" sets a new standard for underwater photography.

Various elements in the film, taken individually, aren't necessarily anything we haven't seen before. But it's the way Castle integrates them and the lengths to which he is willing to take them which makes "Newcastle" so refreshing. There is some content which may be too uncomfortable for theatergoers who have issues with male nudity and sexuality. Some scenes will likely have young guys squirming in their seats. But that didn't happen here at the Tribeca Film Festival screening, and perhaps America has progressed to the point that we can appreciate a film which dares to be different.

With "Newcastle," Dan Castle pushes the boundaries of the typical American coming-of-age slash sports competition film (in this case, surfing). Perhaps he can do it because it is not, in fact, an American film at all but hails from Australia. Perhaps he can get away with it because it wasn't churned out by a Hollywood studio and didn't have the hand of the usual producers and distributors whose financing would undoubtedly come with strings attached. Or perhaps it's just because he had a vision and the tenacity to surround himself with others who wouldn't compromise. In the end, nothing is as it seems at first glance. "Newcastle" is a totally unexpected film at a time when there are far too few.

Urged by a film director I admire, I decided to attend a 9:30 screening of "Newcastle" by a director new to me, at the Los Angeles DGA theater. I left the screening in a daze. I dreamed about the film and it was the first thing I thought of this morning. I've never met any surfers in my life - although I've seen "Big Wednesday" - but I have the feeling now that I know them and I was compelled and surprised by how much we have in common. The human drama attached to the waves is what sets this film in a category all its own. Unique. Coming of age in another planet, primitive and futuristic at the same time. A stunning cast of unknowns helps the feeling that we're peeping into something really private. The photography and the score contribute immensely to make this a phenomenal experience. Highly recommended.