It is not an over-statement that ‘Balibo’ is a film 35 years in the making, and what more Director, Robert Connolly (‘Three Dollars’, ‘The Bank’) does it with complete sensitivity to the families of the men who was so savagely murdered. It is no under-statement to say that this is perhaps one of the most important films to be made in Australian history. It is a harrowing watch but also a very important one.
Set in 1975, a young Jose Ramos-Horta (Oscar Isaac – ‘Agora’, ‘Body Of Lies’) heads to Darwin to seek the help of experienced Australian journalist Roger East (Anthony LaPaglia – TV’s ‘Without A Trace’). Jose tells East about the atrocities occurring in East Timor during the Indonesian invasion and asks East to not only tell the world the story of East Timor but to search for five missing Australian men; Greg Shackleton (Damon Gameau – ‘Thunderstruck’, TV’s ‘Underbelly’), Gary Cunningham (Gyton Grantley – ‘All My Friends Are Leaving Brisbane’, TV’s ‘Underbelly), Malcolm Rennie (Nathan Phillips – ‘Surfer, Dude’, ‘Dying Breed), Briant Peters (Thomas Wright – “Van Dieman’s Land’) and Tony Stewart (Mark Leonard Winter – ‘Van Dieman’s Land). What follows is a harrowing journey for East and he journeys through a war zone to find his missing country men.
There simply isn’t a weak link to ‘Balibo’. The screenplay co-written by Robert Connolly and David Williamson captures the characters so well, the acting portrayals by all the actors involved are sensational while Connolly’s directing style gives the film a real ‘documentary’ feel, a style that only makes the more graphic scenes of the film even more upsetting to watch. I don’t think I’ve ever seen more reviewers and critics reduced to tears as I did at the screening of ‘Balibo’.
Acting wise ‘Balibo’ is a stand-out. Damon Gameau, Gyton Grantley, Nathan Phillips, Thomas Wright and Mark Leonard Winter capture the look and personalities of the Balibo Five eerily well, while Anthony LaPaglia and Oscar Isaac are amazing in their roles. Connelly must be congratulated on the casting of Isaac… it was a risky choice but one that works amazingly well. If the cast of ‘Balibo’ don’t win some awards for their performances then there is something seriously wrong.
As a whole the cast and crew of ‘Balibo’ need to be congratulated. At no time do they ever sensationalize this important and sad story. ‘Balibo’ is gritty and graphic but still heart-warming; and it certainly deserves the title ‘one of the Australia’s most important films’.
Year: 2009
Director: Robert Connolly
Stars: Oscar Isaac, Anthony LaPaglia, Damon Gameau, Gyton Grantley, Nathan Phillips, Thomas Wright, Mark Leonard Winter
Classification: M
Runtime: 111 mins
Rating: 