Bran Nue Dae (2009) Reviews

• a quirky and surprisingly enjoyable flick

  lzagorsk-12010-01-07

  I watched this film with little knowledge of its content apart from a vague recollection that there was a play by the same name from many years ago. I was pleasantly surprised by the movie and thoroughly enjoyed its humour and wackiness. I am northern European heritage but even I wanted to be an Aborigine for a day (watch the movie and you will know what I am talking about). Given the Indigenous population in Darwin where I live and the proximity of us to Broome there was always going to be some forgiveness for the inherent weaknesses in the movie. Hell, even though I haven't met Jess Mauboy personally, I know some people who were/are important in her life. I also have met and enjoyed a bit of time many years ago with Uncle Tadpole, Ernie Dingo. So I suppose you could say that I am more inclined to be supportive of this movie than not. That being said, I was in a cinema 80 per cent full and there was standing applause at the end by some. My 17 year old daughter who I thought would seriously savage the movie came out saying she really enjoyed it. Clearly, Geoffrey Rush is a standout, as with anything he delivers on screen. But this is not a movie about standouts. It delivers in the true Indigenous philosophy of a collaborative effort. The sum of the collaborative efforts is far greater than the individual parts. Go see it with no preconceptions and enjoy. I reckon the reason this quirky movie is so interesting is that it defies genre, unlike another poster that didn't seem to enjoy it because it didn't seem to fit a pre-defined mould.

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• Aboriginal musical romp - Great cast, catchy tunes, good fun

  AtomicAce2010-01-07

  BRAN NUE DAE (aboriginal speak for "Brand New Day") is a joyous musical romp which celebrates Australia's indigenous culture. The movie tells the story - in song, dance and dialogue - of an aboriginal boy's escape from a Catholic boarding school in Perth in the 1960s and misadventures with hippies (Missy Higgins and Tom Budge) and Uncle Tadpole (Ernie Dingo) in a "Kombi" Campervan on his journey back to his sweetheart in hometown, Broome, pursued by the relentless Father Benedictus (Geoffrey Rush). In the 1990s, I had enjoyed the stage musical written by Broome musician/playwright, Jimmy Chi, but was intrigued as to how it might be adapted to the big screen. I was not disappointed. Director Rachel Perkins does a fine job of retaining the exuberance of the stage production while incorporating new elements that only cinema can provide. Like most road comedies, BRAN NUE DAE revolves around a series of skits, most of which are very funny. The cast are excellent, especially Ernie Dingo and Jessica Mauboy, with suitably over-the-top performances by Geoffrey Rush, Deborah Mailman and Magda Szubanski. The tunes are catchy and infectious. BRAN NUE DAE touches lightly upon aboriginal rights issues, but mostly it is good old fashioned vaudevillian fun. Go see it!

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• Yes! It really is.

  ptb-82010-01-04

  BRAN NUE DAE is an utterly delightful new musical with an Indigenous Australian cast that is a sensational showcase of Aboriginal/Islander talent. Set in Broome in NW West Australia with spectacular natural scenery, BRAN NUE DAE revels in its silliness, sense of fun, community and absolute zinger talent. It is a musical road trip set in 1969 about a funny romantic schoolboy who falls in love and discovers hilarious family truths. It also clearly shows how photogenic our Aboriginal teens are, and with young-Elvis-like Rocky Mackenzie as Willie in a screen debut with gorgeous Jessica Mauboy as the focus, we are swept along for raucous dusty fun. It will appeal to cinema audiences as PRISCILLA did in revealing the beauty of Australian deserts and with top stars Geoffrey Rush and Magda Szubanski as key white talent in showstopper roles, the film has the broadest possible appeal. The songs are memorable and the imagery truly beautiful. BRAN NUE DAE is a tad edited down and short at 88 minutes, but that only means I wanted more. It is by turns hilarious, poignant and always visually stunning whether it be the faces or the landscape. If this is that start to a new decade in Oz film making, then I want more. No more dumb desert murder films. Lets go for fun and happiness and music music music. Ernie Dingo plays it like Uncle Remus and scores the best laughs.

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• It's a musical comedy

  bbewnylorac2012-12-19

  The people who say this film is badly acted and cheesy just do not understand it. Just like Grease, it is meant to be a musical comedy and has aspects of great parody. Even as Missy Higgins is acting the wide eyed hippie, she's poking fun at hippies and the hippie era, as well as being affectionate towards it. I think she's brilliant in this film. There are some pretty dark themes such as alcohol abuse, deaths in police custody and homelessness -- and humour is used as an effective tool. Rather than trivialise the issues, it makes us look at them in a different way. Rather than state that all Europeans or all Aborigines are bad, the film shows us that people are often a mixture of good and bad. I think it's beautifully shot and directed and the actors, who clearly had a ball making it, do a fantastic job.

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• review screening

  nonirose2009-08-24

  I was lucky enough to see a review screening of this movie. I have to say it is one of the best movies i've ever seen. What i would like to know is, when will it be shown at the cinemas for all to see? I recommend it to everyone. It showed so much more of Australian then the movie 'Australia' and it left you feeling so energised in your seat. The casting is fantastic, I was a little hesitant about a few, especially as they're many first timers for movies. At the end we were left wanting to sing some of the songs, and one could describe it as an 'Australian Bollywood' in the way it is brought together with so many songs throughout. Absolutely brilliant. I haven't seen the 'musical' version, but i wish i had! Wow what a movie. The time flies by so quickly!!!! Too quickly if you ask me!! Cant wait to see it again!

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