MULLET

Australia, 2001, 90 minutes, Colour.
Ben Mendelsohn, Susie Porter, Andrew S. Gilbert, Kris Mc Quade, Tony Barry, Belinda Mc Clory, Peta Brady.
Directed by David Caesar.

Mullet is the story of an average young Australian man from a country town. The opening sequence of fishing for mullet and throwing them back because they were useless is a symbolic introduction to Eddie Moloney, nicknamed Mullet. He is played in his typical fashion and persuasively by Ben Mendelsohn. Mullet is the kind of person who antagonises people in the town, plays football and they support him, falls in love but, in his own words, unexpectedly and without telling anyone, "just pisses off". When he turns up without any fanfare three years later, he causes havoc in the town and especially with his family.

David Caesar has written and directed many documentaries about different facets of Australian life (fences and space, cars, bodyworks and funerals). His feature films have been about people in urban settings, green keeping and the idiot box. Here he returns to his own roots on the south coast of New South Wales, recreates the life of the town very effectively, offers characters with some depth who struggle with the ordinary situations of their life and work in the small town. Susie Porter shows once again she is an effective actress as the girl that Mullet left behind and who, after two years, has married his brother for security. Andrew S. Gilbert is Peter the brother, the policeman in the town who is hurt by his brother's return. Tony Barry and Kris Mc Quade are excellent as his loving but often non-speaking parents. Both of them have good lines of dialogue to illustrate the depths of the themes. Belinda Mc Clory (Redball, The Matrix) is the local barmaid who is supportive of Mullet.

1. A portrait of a New South Wales country town: the south coast, the ocean, the fishermen, the fish shops? People and their ordinary work? The small population of the town and everybody knowing each other's business? The hotel and the people gathering there? The football matches? The barbecues? The role of the police?

2. The authentic location shooting, the town itself? Atmosphere? The background musical score and songs?

3. The title and the opening with Tully and Peter catching the mullet and throwing them back? The symbol for Mullet himself? His return and fishing the mullet with the net, selling them to his sister in the shop? The significance of the nickname in terms of worth and lack of worth?

4. The situation and the town: Mullet gone for three years, Tully marrying Peter for security, talking about not wanting children? Her teaching the kindergarten children? Peter and his police work? The mother and father and their not talking but being together for decades? Mullet's sister and her work at the fish shop? Marrying James? The Aboriginal background? Dad and his coaching the football?

5. Mullet getting a lift into town, buying the car? The immediate reactions to his presence? His brother not talking to him? His father's nonchalance? Robyn and her remarks? Tully and the effect on her? Kay and her support? His going to the pub, going to the football, going to his old van? Fishing?

6. The beginnings of his interactions with people: going to see his parents, their feud, helping them? Bewildered by them? Their love for him? Seeing Peter and Peter's suspicions, especially about the wedding? Everybody saying they did not know where to find him and so invite him to the wedding, his unreasonable reactions? (And the rumours that he was in England or in Hollywood?) With his sister, his offensive comments about being Aboriginal to James? In the bar?

7. With Tully, her exasperation, attraction, the hurt? His not being able to explain himself? Expecting her to have waited for him? Yet trying to be nonchalant about it? Her growing anger, going to see him, confronting him? Sitting by the water? Her return home and Peter's suspicions? Her eating all the sugar? Being sick?

8. Peter and his anger, the fellow policeman offering to shoot Mullet and his angry reaction? Forgetting about the barbecue?

9. Kay and her support of Mullet, the night together - but no affair? Her talk about herself, relationships in the town, her father? Her wanting something more - and unable to persuade Mullet that she loved him?

10. The barbecue, people arriving, awkwardness, chopping the wood, setting the fire, the fish? James and his wife and Mullet's apology? Peter and his bringing the gun? Their arguing, Kay's arrival? Tully bringing the gun - explaining she was pregnant, telling everyone to go home?

11. Mullet's arrival and its surfacing the issues of family life in a small town? The wandering Australian man? Restlessness yet wanting to come back to his roots? Inarticulate in emotions and expression? Peter and Tully and a secure future? Mullet and Kay leaving the town also for a future?

12. Insights into the Australian tradition, ethos, relationships, men and women?