Les Saphirs

I had heard nothing but generally positive things about this film but yet I had not really come across it anywhere till recently. The plot is based on a true story but I'm sure has been simplified down into this very simple telling where you'll pretty much know where it is going from the start to the end. In this way it is a very safe film and indeed the marketing plays on this a great deal; suffice to say it is very much a film that delivers just what you expect it to. In this regard it is pretty obvious but what makes it work is the spirit in which it is delivered; it has energy and fire which it really wears well.

The soundtrack does a great deal to help it, but the energy in the comedy and the characters really helps. Everything is delivered with a good sense of fun with rough edges and it is very charming and effective throughout. The musical performances are great and moreso thanks to the cast. O'Dowd is a good bit of casting as he is in that middle ground of being a famous face but perhaps not yet leading a film on his own name. His character may be simple enough but he is good at it. Of the four women there is a sense that the film is rough with the realistic casting, looks and shapes; this is not to say they are not beautiful – just that they are not so in the way that films would traditionally put forward. Mailman is the best example as she is a great central character. Mauboy has a great pair of lungs on her and drives the performance while Tapsell is very good in support. Sebbens was probably the least engaging of the group as she has more "issues" to carry and is less naturally rough and fun.

It may be a simple film on the face of it, but it has a lot of energy in the characters, the comedy and the music. Infectious and fun – it is not a great film but it is a very easy one to enjoy.

I absolutely wanted to see this movie because of it being Australian & Jessica Mauboy stars in it!

It wasn't a let down. It's an absolutely brilliant story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I found the characters very likable and hate-able too. (But for good reason.)

The songs that were sung were brilliant and thank-god it wasn't just another High School Musical film... what? Why am I saying this? There isn't even any similarity.

The story itself was marvelous, although it felt a little rushed at times. The romance was also quite good. Very emotional scenes! The comedy was spot on 90% of the time and there were some of the funniest/corniest lines in movies I've seen ever! Also, to whoever said that they're just cheesie and the movie is a cliché: they should all go die. Because it wasn't clearly and people can't reinvent the English language and make up jokes that no one understands?

Lastly, the brilliant central Australian cast were beautiful and very talented. You should go see it. Everyone should go see it!

The Sapphires (2012)

Wow, can I just say, "super cute" and leave it at that? It's a total feel good story about four Aborigine Aussies who can sing! And they sing their way (via Motown and R&B) to Vietnam in front of American troops, who love it.

And so you have to love it. The music soars, the tragedy of the war is held out of view but is implied in different ways, and the abilities of these young women make it all heartwarming. And impressive. Against the odds kind of material.

The one additional actor who is key is Chris O'Dowd, playing a down on his luck musician. He sees, barely, the talent of these women and decides to "manage" them, which he really does pretty well, helping them apply to a contest. And so on, to the "top" of the short ladder they are climbing. There are no gold records here, just good music. O'Dowd is comic relief, but also at ease and stabilizing to the movie, adding a necessary second layer. A good fit.

That's the long and the short of it. The Sapphires were real (and at the end of the movie you see a tiny bit of the real women). They were a cover band, you might say, but a really sweet and talented cover band. And they chose music that had soul, that mattered to the times, the late 1960s. Good stuff. Just enjoy it.

My neighbour gave me her free tickets to see this film as she was unable to attend. I knew nothing at all about the film and went somewhat apprehensively. I needn't have worried however as it was a fantastic film.

It follows four young girls who leave their Aboriginal community in the hope of entertaining US troops in Vietnam and becoming big stars. That's all it does. The director doesn't try to overplay it and make it overly dramatic. Instead it feels somewhat like a documentary, with no clear path as to where it's going.

The actresses playing the four girls were superb, all being fantastic actresses who are believable in their work, but also incredible singers. Jessica Mauboy in particular was amazing and I honestly could have listened to them all night, no dialogue needed. Chris O'Dowd, the manager of the band, is funny while being endearing. The director subtly brought romance into the plot without taking anything away from the main story.

Racism was a key topic that was brought up regularly to show how Aboriginal people were treated in the community and all the characters have to deal with it in some form of another. Kay in particular has to decide between being a white or black girl. It also brings home how prevalent it was then with one white solider refusing to be treated by a black doctor. It was truly harrowing.

The film was shot wonderfully, with the Aboriginal community lit up in beautiful sunshine, while Vietnam scenes were kept bleak and grey.

A great film that I would watch again.

First and foremost, it's important to say that this is a drama, and the comedy and music are secondary. An enormous relief, in a film that needed to tell a story, and not turn the experiences of the four girls, and their manager, in to a musical.

'The Sapphires' tells a uniquely Australian story of four Aboriginal girls who overcame the prejudice of the 60s to find themselves sent off to Vietnam to entertain the troops, along with their charismatic, but occasionally inept, manager (Chris O'Dowd). There's a decent ensemble cast, with exceptional performances from Deborah Mailman and Shari Sebbens.

The film is uplifting, gently deals with some big issues that faced Aborigines and is entertaining to just about anyone. Some criticism of the film was that it underplayed both the Vietnam War itself, and a couple of related events (easily spotted in the film), however I disagree. The film was busy drawing together the strands of storyline concerning the girls. To have emphasised any further the war, or any particular event, could only have detracted from the audience's appreciation of the other characters.

Highly recommended for just about anyone. Non-Australians will be introduced to a little of Aboriginal culture and their struggle for equality, as well as a ripper movie that's fun and funny; Australians will be glad to see a rare story of Aboriginal triumph in the 20th century.