One to see: The Black Balloon (2008)
November 6th 2008 23:38
Okay, so it's not a Hollywood film, but it's one of the best Australian productions I've seen in years. The Black Balloon is a touching and memorable story about an Aussie family dealing with an autistic son. In particular, it follows the trials of Thomas, the brother who is largely responsible for his autistic siblings' welfare. Through his eyes we see how difficult, and at the same time darkly humourous, life is growing up with a brother who is 'different.' There are some really funny scenes that almost poke fun at autism, but not quite.
The Aussie cast is fantastic - Home and Away's Rhys Wakefield really shines in his role as Thomas, and we feel for his problems almost immediately. Toni Collette plays his world-weary mother to perfection, as would be expected, and Aussie supermodel Gemma Ward makes an auspicious debut as Thomas's girlfriend Jackie. Their love story is really sweet; at first Jackie is put off by Thomas's brother but quickly learns how to interact with him. Their connection is obvious from the get-go, and Ward's comedic timing is to be commended. And Luke Ford, who plays the autistic Charlie, is nothing short of brilliant: he gives a very accurate portrayal and doesn't over-act, which would be easy to do in a role such as this.
There are a few confronting scenes and a stage performance towards the end that is bordering on cutesy, but otherwise The Black Balloon is worth a watch (or two). It'll open your eyes to autism in a way that allows for empathy and an understanding of the difficulties faced by the family, while taking you on an emotional journey. In my opinion, it's one of the best Aussie films made in recent times.
The Aussie cast is fantastic - Home and Away's Rhys Wakefield really shines in his role as Thomas, and we feel for his problems almost immediately. Toni Collette plays his world-weary mother to perfection, as would be expected, and Aussie supermodel Gemma Ward makes an auspicious debut as Thomas's girlfriend Jackie. Their love story is really sweet; at first Jackie is put off by Thomas's brother but quickly learns how to interact with him. Their connection is obvious from the get-go, and Ward's comedic timing is to be commended. And Luke Ford, who plays the autistic Charlie, is nothing short of brilliant: he gives a very accurate portrayal and doesn't over-act, which would be easy to do in a role such as this.
Luke Ford and Rhys Wakefield
Rhys Wakefield and Toni Collette
Gemma Ward
There are a few confronting scenes and a stage performance towards the end that is bordering on cutesy, but otherwise The Black Balloon is worth a watch (or two). It'll open your eyes to autism in a way that allows for empathy and an understanding of the difficulties faced by the family, while taking you on an emotional journey. In my opinion, it's one of the best Aussie films made in recent times.
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