The Daughter * * *

Like most Australians I am not a huge fan of Australian films. 
Think I’m being cynical? Have a look at their fail rate. Utter shit from the USA often lasts longer at the cinemas than a quality local production.

I have often wondered why Australians tend to shun their own films, and I think the answer is by its own definition an Australian film is parochial, but most people go to the movies to see something exotic.  
An Aussie move is like a holiday in Queensland as opposed to a holiday overseas. I know there are exceptions and some films do succeed (usually comedies) but generally we seem to want to get away from our everyday accents and culture.

The other reason we don’t warmly embrace our films is they can be frequently hamstrung by their self consciousness. Which brings us to The Daughter, a film pointlessly based upon Henrik Ibsen’s extremely dated drama The Wild Duck.  

The Daughter is set in a contemporary small Australian town that has always  lived off a timber mill which is now closing.   One rich man (Geoffrey Rush) lives in in a big house whilst all the workers live in cottages and work for him.  It’s all a bit like some ancient European Village - an unreal model that simply does not exist in Australia.

The embittered rich man's son comes home from America with one suitcase of clothes and a shipping container of emotional baggage.  His best mate from years ago is married now with a daughter - and she’s really what the story is about I suppose.  If you’ve seen or read Ibsen’s “The Wild Duck” you’ll quickly join the dots.

Nothing is wrong with the The Daughter other than its irritating determination to be taken seriously.  

It’s like the makers desperately wanted to do a film where everyone gets upset and shouts and swears and trembles with anger and indignation, because they reckon that’s what real drama is.

It’s a risk. You walk a fine line.  Such an exercise can often leave the audience more embarrassed (or amused) by the attempt, than exhilarated by the achievement.

The acting and direction is competent enough mostly, though some scenes look as stilted as those awkward “try hard” television ads for Drugs or Road Tolls. If any of the  performances really impress it would have to be Sam Neil, who ironically has the most restrained of all the roles.

In some ways The Daughter is more of a step back than a step forward for Australian film. Australian film is littered with these “Oh so serious” dramas, especially through the 80’s and 90’s.

The Daughter, is what it wants to be: I don’t know if we need it, but I think they enjoyed making it, and for what it is they did a good job with their pet project. They adapted a classic old Nordic play and staged it in a cold climate area of contemporary Australia.

But, as they say, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck….