Director: John Curran
Writer: Andrew McGahan (from his own novel)
Director of Photography: Dion Beebe
Original Music: Dirty Three
Gordon: Peter Fenton
Cynthia: Sacha Horler |
"Praise" is an addition to the gritty urban realism that is currently so popular in Australian film. Last year we had "The Boys" and "Head On", this year we have "Praise" adapted for the screen by Andrew McGahan from his novel that won the Vogel award for best unpublished manuscript in 1992.
This time we're in Brisbane. Gordon - mid twenties, a uni drop out and bottle shop worker, has just left his much hated job and is headed for life on the dole. Cynthia, a barmaid where Gordon worked, takes a fancy to him and what starts as lust, on her part at least, soon veers towards love and possible commitment. The asthmatic who smokes and admits to being hopeless in bed, and the eczema sufferer who drinks and takes drugs, become embroiled in a lively relationship. Along the way we meet some of their friends, but the film's focus is firmly on the developing relationship between Gordon and Cynthia. Will they be able to save each other? Or will they drag each other further into the depths of disillusionment.
"Praise" is a first feature from New Yorker, now Sydney resident, John Curran in partnership with first time producer Martha Coleman. She fell in love with the book and has been working since 1992 to bring it to the screen. Cinematographer Dion Beebe effectively brings the characters and surroundings to vivid life and the original music by the Dirty Three bluesy/country with an edge, is great.
Fans of Crow will no doubt enjoy seeing the band's lead singer Peter Fenton in his first screen appearance - he is Gordon. Sacha Horler is wonderfully energetic, vulnerable and loveable as the sex and drug addicted Cynthia. Her energy, in such strong contrast to Gordon's lay-back disillusionment, brings most of the ironic humour to the film.
For me "Praise" lacked the emotional punch of "The Boys" and the frenetic energy and cultural diversity of "Head On". But as with these films it depicts ordinary life, warts and all. Young people fail to connect effectively with each other or the society in which they live and turn to drink, drugs and sex in the hope of finding something worthwhile to live for.
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