The Australian Dream * * ½
I can only assume the enthusiasm for this film comes from crowd mentality, which is rather ironic, seeing that is the very thing it criticises.
Really, it's an okay documentary. It's not groundbreaking or terribly revealing. It simply confirms what any sensitive person should already be aware of.
Personally I have a good deal of admiration for Adam Goodes and like many people I was somewhat disgusted by the inability of many to understand his plight and what he was trying to say. What was worse is the fact that so many would not even listen to the more profound message he wanted to get across.
Using the Adam Goodes story this documentary shows entrenched racism in Australian society.
It's a welcome film and an interesting one but if you look at some reviews you get the impression it's beyond criticism. It's produced by journalist Sam Grant who is not averse to giving himself a fair share of the glory, including a speech he made which he seems to think was akin to Martin Luther King's "I have a dream". Personally I'd never heard it before.
There are a couple of other contrived and clunky scenes, like the re-enactment of when Adam takes time out to return to the bush and spend time with his people and the Elders. It might have been better if they'd simply talked about it rather than re-enacting it in such a self conscious manner.
It ends on a positive note showing how the Goodes fans rallied to support this great football player.
The timing of its release was unfortunate, in that another documentary on Goodes had just been released. To be honest, I think you might be better off watching the more modest, made for television, The Final Quarter. Going by the three people in the cinema, I get the impression that the way most other people felt too.
Really, it's an okay documentary. It's not groundbreaking or terribly revealing. It simply confirms what any sensitive person should already be aware of.
Personally I have a good deal of admiration for Adam Goodes and like many people I was somewhat disgusted by the inability of many to understand his plight and what he was trying to say. What was worse is the fact that so many would not even listen to the more profound message he wanted to get across.
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| Adam having the temerity to point out racism. |
It's a welcome film and an interesting one but if you look at some reviews you get the impression it's beyond criticism. It's produced by journalist Sam Grant who is not averse to giving himself a fair share of the glory, including a speech he made which he seems to think was akin to Martin Luther King's "I have a dream". Personally I'd never heard it before.
There are a couple of other contrived and clunky scenes, like the re-enactment of when Adam takes time out to return to the bush and spend time with his people and the Elders. It might have been better if they'd simply talked about it rather than re-enacting it in such a self conscious manner.
It ends on a positive note showing how the Goodes fans rallied to support this great football player.
The timing of its release was unfortunate, in that another documentary on Goodes had just been released. To be honest, I think you might be better off watching the more modest, made for television, The Final Quarter. Going by the three people in the cinema, I get the impression that the way most other people felt too.
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