The Black Balloon (2008)
Two Flat Whites watched the film ‘The Black Balloon’ last week. This Australian movie is a good one. It won the Crystal Bear at the recent Berlin Film Festival. First-time co-writer & director Elissa Down has produced a wonderful film here.
It is set in suburbia Sydney & follows the adventures of the Mollison family. They travel a lot due to there father (Erik Thomson) being a sergeant in the army. Mum (Toni Collette) works hard & tries to do everything. She is also pregnant & soon discovers that some chores just need to be delegated. They have two sons, Charlie, (Luke Ford) who plays an autistic teenager. Luke shines on the screen with a brilliant acting display & has recently been rewarded in a Hollywood blockbuster soon to hit our screens as the new co-star in the Mummy trilogy.
The story follows Thomas (Rhys Wakefield) who plays the other son. Thomas goes through the typical hardships that most teenagers go through, peer pressure, love crushes & bullying. He also finds it increasingly hard to deal with the fact that his brother is autistic. He loves his brother dearly, & throughout the movie he learns to deal with this fact. I was taken by Rhys Wakefield who sparkles on the screen & this kid is one to watch! Jackie, (Gemma Ward), ex-model, also appears in the film & plays a fine cameo role as Thomas’ girlfriend.
This film is so much more than just about an autistic boy. It demonstrates beautifully what it can be like for teenagers growing up. It shows us the day to day challenges of a typical Australian family & how the Aussie spirit conquers all. The film portrays endless emotion & draws plenty of humour. Do yourself a favour, this is a must see!
- Liam Gibbs
Tags: aussie flick, australian film, elissa down, erik thomson, Film, flick, gemma ward, luke ford, rhys wakefield, the black balloon, toni collette, Two Flat Whites
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