Diane and I saw this gem last night on TV because, unfortunately, we missed it when it was on the big screen some months ago. I adore Australian films; they are everything that Hollywood isn't: warm, believable, non-violent, real, heart-warming, under-the-top.
The "critics" seemed to dislike the film for all these reasons: these were absent from this true story. I have read their critic comments and they have thrown in those word-gems that any person commenting about a film can always pulls out; that action in itself is the cliché' that they fulminate against. These critics and commentators have a folder filled with words and phrases that they use if the film is actually a believable, human film that is something to which a person can relate.
The film itself takes place in an area of this state in which I live; an area that is hugely rich in iron ore but an area that is extremely hot, isolated and difficult in which to live. This area is home to people of a calibre that I could never hope to be: strong, resilient and stoic. Therefore, for people (mainly guys because of the nature of the work) with these personality traits to show such respect and love to a stray dog says something positive about them. Yes, they do fall into personality types; the core of the film, humans bonding with animals, has been seen many times before but who wrote the rules for script writing. Screen coldness is out of date, its old hat; it has been seen in all its forms and it comes up wanting more times than not.
Red Dog is a story from which many, many elements can be wrung. Rent it, you will not be sorry!
The "critics" seemed to dislike the film for all these reasons: these were absent from this true story. I have read their critic comments and they have thrown in those word-gems that any person commenting about a film can always pulls out; that action in itself is the cliché' that they fulminate against. These critics and commentators have a folder filled with words and phrases that they use if the film is actually a believable, human film that is something to which a person can relate.
The film itself takes place in an area of this state in which I live; an area that is hugely rich in iron ore but an area that is extremely hot, isolated and difficult in which to live. This area is home to people of a calibre that I could never hope to be: strong, resilient and stoic. Therefore, for people (mainly guys because of the nature of the work) with these personality traits to show such respect and love to a stray dog says something positive about them. Yes, they do fall into personality types; the core of the film, humans bonding with animals, has been seen many times before but who wrote the rules for script writing. Screen coldness is out of date, its old hat; it has been seen in all its forms and it comes up wanting more times than not.
Red Dog is a story from which many, many elements can be wrung. Rent it, you will not be sorry!