BLINDER
Australia, 2013, 102 minutes, Colour.
Oliver Ackland, Jack Thompson, Rose Mc Ivor.
Directed by Richard Gray.
Richard Gray’s previous film, Summer Coda, told a story of a woman returning home from the US to a town in north west Victoria, near Swan Hill. It looked beautiful and captured the atmosphere of the area with a humane story.
This time Gray still stays west of Melbourne but on the Bellarine Peninsula. A man returns from the US again and has to deal with the past. BUT, this is a film about Australian Rules which ought to be of interest to all follwers of the code but is certainly for fans west of Geelong. However, given the fierce loyalties to the AFL, the VFL and local clubs and some narrowly parochial attitudes, it might not draw in the audiences. Distribution in Melbourne itself was in only three cinemas and with minimum advertising. I just checked, after a week it has disappeared. What a pity.
For football fans, the film has about five substantial sequences of matches, finals and grand-finals, centering on the Tigers’ Club at Torquay. There are practice sessions, club meetings, pep talks. And the main pep is given vigorously by coach, Jack Thompson, going back to his role in The Club.
But, the main thing is a human story. There is a party sequence at the opening which is crucial to the plot but it comes too early for us to work out who’s who and what actually happens. It does get sorted out eventually, but keeps us wondering whether we missed something.
Tom (Oliver Ackland) is the Torquay star but is poor in discipline and team spirit (still a worry for football and cricket!). Caught up in a scandal (that’s the part that is not clear until quite late), he goes to the US for ten years as a coach. When he receives news that the coach has died, he decides to come home for the funeral and to meet the key characters from the past. Into that framework, we have a great number of flashbacks which tell more of Tom’s story, including those matches, than might have been expected and presents him in a better light). While the scandal proves to be significant for those involved, it is not nearly as strong as many of the scandalous stories of sports celebrities that we are treated to in media news, articles and radio and TV reports.
It is a matter of immaturity, rash behaviour, publicity, consequences for lives and reputations. The latter part of the film is quite interesting in showing how the main characters deal with it ten years later.
The film is quite watchable, has a good cast, with Jack Thompson leading the way in ra-ra challenges to his players, and the newcomer coaches at the end are unable to match his fire and expertise.
And the title? The film tells us that it is an episode of drunkenness as well as a top game and performance. Both are featured.
1. The definitions of blinder?
2. A football film? AFL fans? Sports fans? particularly Australian sports fans? Reception of the film overseas?
3. The sport’s films, emphasis on teams, training, individuals, playing matches, crises, winning?
4. The human story within the sport story? The focus on individual players, their interactions, training, hopes, family, friends, mistakes and consequences? The focus on Tom, his early career, difficulties, his change, the scandal, to America, the return, meeting his friends again, re-living the past, coming to terms with the past, a new beginning?
5. The Bellarine Peninsula, the towns, Torquay, the football club, home, sports grounds, the coast and the beaches, the surf, Cape Otway? Realism in the locations?
6. A film for the fans, the scenes of training, style, the methods of coaching, of selecting teams and announcements, joy and disappointments, the matches, competitiveness, the semifinals, the finals? Players and talent, flaws, strong opposition, the physical aspects of the sport, dirty tactics, heroics?
7. The structure of the film: the party, not knowing the characters or quickly identifying them the limitations, the limitations, the puzzle? The scandal, how serious? The consequences? The flashbacks and the gradual revelation of the truth?
8. Tom, sport and self-important,? His relationship with Chiang? Doing his own thing, not taking notice of the coach, playing to the girls watching? His not being selected? The team winning the championship? His decision to reform, Chang and his advice, Tommy being picked, playing, his skills, the cheat and his defeat in him with his tactic? Selection? But leaving, going to be selected for the top teams? In the car, seeing the paper, the photos, the crash? Going to Boston, working with the American teams?
9. Tom and his mother, support, her relationship with Chang? Chang and his toughness, telling him off, her picking him? Tommy and Chang, the running, talking seriously with Tom, the training, selection, the effect?
10. Tom’s friends, the characters, style, in themselves, as a team, the interactions? Frankie and his extroversion? His kicking goals, preening, with the crowd? Morts and his skills, kicking goals? Regan and his talent? Irish? Dawson?
11. The glimpse of opposing teams, the players, good spirit, the clash between Tommy and his rival, concealing the oil, in Tommy’s eyes? cheating?
12. Sammi and her age, love of football, discussions with Rose, their father and his drinking, her presence of the club, at the matches, in the changing rooms? Enthusiasm, knowledge, idolising the players?
13. The contrast with Rose, her not knowing the details of the game and the code, with Sammi? The attraction to Tom? The party, the sexual encounter, their future? Her blaming Tommy for Sammi?
14. Chang in the flashbacks, his personality, his style of coaching, his demands on the players, strong speeches? The pep talks and the player with the photo on the wall? His collapse?
15. Tommy’s return, the funeral, the ceremony, the television cameras and the questions?
16. Meeting Frankie, Morts, the men the bowls, competitive, Frankie and the others at bowls? the subsequent careers, some playing for the AFL, for the VFL? Morts, anger, the reconciliation? Surfing?
17. Seeing Rose after 10 years, her work as a waitress, at home, her partner, moving? Tom’s disappointment and discussions with Rose? The truth, her telling Mortsthat she gave the photos to the paper?
18. Her responsibility? Sammi, her behavior, her shame, seeing the detail in the flashbacks, all her university course? The details? Talking to Tommy? The sexual response? Morts’ reaction, coaching? Rrose seeing this? Morts and his embarrassment over the whole episode?
19. Re-seeing the party, spiking Tommy’s drink, Morts’ behavior, Tommy not responsible and photographed compromisingly? Rose sending the photos to
the paper to teach them all a lesson?
20. The grand final, Regan as coach, the preparations, Morts and Tommye as assistants? Franky’s presence? In the changing room? Chang’s two sons and their play? The pep talk, in comparison with Chang? His photo on the wall with that of the local hero’s photo?
21. The happy ending, 10 years of consequences and unhappiness, reconciliation, getting on with life?
