La Dernière Vague

Australian films and TV series have always interested me. Such a far and isolated western society has brought us so many different point-of-view and awkward plots and directed novelties. From Priscilla, folle du désert (1994) to Lonesome (2022), from Mad Max (1979) to Romper Stomper (1992), there's always an unexpected editing or plot.

This movie is not at all to be put in this hall of fame. First, it took me like 29 minutes to understand what were flashbacks, what were fantasies, and even to be sure when I was really into the regular story. So if you're going to watch it, be aware that you'll need special attention to keep track. The editing is not good enough to show you where you're at. In addition to that, I kind of understood that the same scene is shown again with a different point of view near the end (I mean, I think so, not sure). Not everyone is as good as Gus Van Sant with Elephant (2003) doing that. It's almost ridiculous. Like an extremist art house terrorist movie directors competition, the one that make the audience the most lost, wins.

Not to spoil it, but to help, I'd just say that it's the story of one night. Everything else is flashbacks, or dreams, or fantasies (it took me a while to define this). And that night is cut with flashbacks of that same night !!! (Wow...). So let's redefine it again, it's the story of one end of the night.

Then I had to watch it in two parts. My mate made me shut it down at about the half of the movie, telling me, "that's again one of those movies made by straights about things they believe to know"- This happened at a useless disgusting scene with vomit, even given the fact that the actors were handsome. "He's a straight". I guess my friend meant that this actor whatever he's straight or not, didn't play well enough the forbidden attraction he's supposed to feel and to restrict towards his friends - this is not true in all the scenes, but a general feel. Meanwhile, he plays well a homophobic hater.

Plus, the sound editing is not good. Even equipped with a 5.1 home theater system, some dialogues were hard to decipher.

But all in all, I was interested to know what that closeted, self-hating and psychotic gay guy was going to become (or do), it kept me watching it until the end. So at least, the plot was somewhat not that bad. It should have been directed in a much better way, most of the time there aren't bad actors, but bad directing of them. I wouldn't watch this twice.

One of the worst films I've seen in a long time, gay themed or otherwise. There isn't one minute of this film that doesn't ring false. The relationships between the three characters is so far fetch that you spend every minute thinking that there is no way in hell these three would spend time together. If any one thinks this is an important gay film they must suffer from the same low self esteem and self loathing that the main character does. Are we really supposed to believe that someone who has a loving relationship with a seemingly very nice guy would give his antagonist the chance to repeatedly, and I mean repeatedly, torment and physically abuse him? Where is the logic in that? Any self respecting gay man would have had his tormentor throw in jail after the first scene and he could have saved us the torture that repeatedly followed. A total waste of time that is painful to watch.

If you are into low self esteem, self loathing, masochism, homophobia, alcoholism, hideously mean spirited abusive overly self indulgent psychotic self destructive dudes - then this is your movie!

There is no story! You just follow some real fck'd up dudes around on the beach, bar hopping, getting laid, getting drunk and fighting. That's it! There is NO story!

From the very start you know Len and buddies have no life and should be on anti-psychotic medication! Each one wants to be the macho dude and they about kill each other to prove it.

A waste of time and if you watch the whole thing you will feel sick, stupid, and wish you had NOT watched it. Excuse me while I vomit!

The violence . It seems the only theme and easy to define it as pretext for a non story film, in which the punches, hate, vulnerability as root of terrible angry are the only pieces.

But Drown is about what lives under violence. Experiences, need of respect, appreciation and love, the friendship as refuge and the toxic but so familiar manner to define yourself as man. Sure, a significant aspect is homophobia , in many forms . But the great thing is just the fair performances of main actors and the realism created by discontinous telling.

A film about vulnerability and thirst of affection more than about violence itself.

Shame to see a reasonable cast wasted by truly awful writing and directing. This film takes a lens to homophobia and completely pushes it into an over the top, melodramatic, badly edited, annoying mess.

The sad part is the cast seemed reasonably good at acting but could have done well with anything else, even the most simplistic story would have allowed them to shine. Less is definitely more in this case and it needed way less.

It really is a bad movie and an example of what happens when someone tries too hard and doesn't have anyone around them to say stop, this isn't working--it's unrealistic, exaggerated for effect and needs a rewrite. Awful ending too.