samson and delilah

the 5 star reviews are rolling in for this film
some saying every australian should go and see it
which was never said of the other australia film
it reached for epic-ness but was saved by simplicity
from what i read the aboriginal boy was the real star
in this film it's another aboriginal boy at the centre
the film opens with him rousing from his sleep
and oddly some american country music is playing
he struggles with his clothing and then takes his fix
his nose buried in a plastic container of petrol
stumbles outside picks up a guitar and thrashes away
jamming away with the drummer and bass-player
significantly he's wearing a birthday party t-shirt
so already we know music is a big part of his life
but this is big brothers guitar and mates in the band
so samson's turn on the guitar is aggressively cut short
over on the other side of town delilah is with her nana
she elderly, sickly and an accomplished indigenous artist
they sit quietly doing their dot-paintings together
delilah cooking, administering drugs and walking her nana
it's a very simple and quiet life everyone is leading
it's like groundhog day as the film goes through a few days
leading eventually to samson and delilah meeting up
some genuinely funny scenes featuring nana's comments
also some genuinely sad scenes as they are run out of town
alice springs is where they end up living under a bridge
he is still petrol-sniffing, she is still providing
so far there's not been a word spoken between them
which i put down to the atmospherics of the film
an intention to let their environment tell the story
the harshness of which is also shown with no punches pulled
delilah falls victim to some brutal and then accidental assault
sadly samson is so out of it he is oblivious to her plight
the weight of their situation fully on her young shoulders
apart from her own assault she witnesses a major scam
sees her nana's artwork being sold for astronomical prices
stirring an anger in her that transforms her personality
and a clear change in her attitude towards the townies
it's a sad and desperate situation the 2 friends are in
eventually however the authorities step in and assist
seeing the 2 relocate to delilah's isolated family shack
it smacks of happily-ever-after but it's not going to be
though there's a temporary reprieve in their hard lives
at which point we the audience can also take a breath
this film is so genuinely touching and presumably realistic
i know very little about the indigenous way of modern life
but everything seen in this film seems quite representative
showing the basic conditions in which aborigines are living
the effect of alcohol and petrol-sniffing on old and young
the entrenched violence within and visiting their communities
and yet the film is not preaching, begging or accusing
it simply shows it as it really is from the inside
which of course is why everyone should see it
apparently it's gathering momentum overseas
australia's answer to slumdog millionaire?
though this one stays very close to it's core
more like australia's answer to hollywood's australia
and yes - definitely worth the 5 star treatment