SON OF A GUN

Australia, 2014, 108 minutes, Colour.
Ewan Mc Gregor, Brenton Thwaites, Alicia Vikander, Matt Nable, Damon Herriman, Nash Edgerton, Jacek Koman, Tom Budge.
Directed by Julius Avery.

Son of a Gun is a swaggering kind of title, with the touch of the macho. It is a story of criminals in Western Australia, in prison, out of prison, and carrying off a huge robbery at the Kalgoorlie Gold mines.

The international star is Ewan Mc Gregor, using his Scots accent, playing Brendan, a famous robber, who finds himself in jail, looking for an opportunity to escape, looking for a young patsy that he can rely on to make connections when he gets out of jail after a short-term sentence.

The young man is played by Brenton Thwaites, a young actor from Cairns and a stint in Home and Away. 2014 was a particularly good year for him, playing Prince Charming in Maleficent and the futuristic hero of The Giver. His role in Son of a Gun is a strong one and he keeps audience attention on himself, even when working with Ewan Mc Gregor.

The film establishes the two characters in the first part of the film, with the young JR (Thwaites) entering into prison in the usual style, assigned to a cell where his cellmate is the sexual victim of some bruisers in the prison, JR trying to help him but warned by Brendan (McGregor) to be very careful. A bond is established between the two, with JR giving Brendan advice about chess moves and Brendan saving him from the bruisers. Prison life is a mixture of routine and moments of brutality.

The film opens up when JR is released, goes to make contact with the criminal recommended by Brendan, finds himself in somewhat luxurious surroundings, attracted by a young woman from eastern Europe who is controlled by the master criminal. He Is able to arrange an escape after an amusing, but serious, encounter with an arms dealer (Damon Harriman) and a lesson on guns and their power, using a helicopter – and this looks so easy, despite some shooting by prison guards, that audiences might think this is quite credible and possible. It is not only possible here but actual, so Brendan and his close associates are out and it is time to plan that gold robbery in Kalgoorlie.

There are romantic moments for JR and Tasha (Alicia Vikander from the Danish film, A Royal Scandal), some clashes with some young would-be tasks toughs and supportive tuition from Brendan.

The latter part of the film shows the robbery in detail, the escape, and, as we might have suspected, no honour among thieves.

By the end of the film, JR has certainly learnt a lot from Brendan and shrewd enough to get an upper hand.

The film makes Western Australia look attractive as well as desolate in the mines around Kalgoorlie. And, as heist and caper films go, with its Australian touches, this is quite an – even improbable – entertainment.

1. An Australian story? Locations, crime, characters?

2. The West Australian locations, the prison, the city, the coast, the docks, Kalgoorlie, the mines and desert, Melbourne? Australian atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The title, the term, reference to JR, to Brendan? Father-son relationships?

4. The prison story: JR, entering, the process, searching, photos, fingerprints? The cell, the cellmate and his tension? The common area, the gathering of the prisoners, playing cards, chess? In the yard? JR at 19, petty criminal, open, naive? His concern for his cellmate, the rape of the brutal gang, his causing the upset so that the guards would come and save the cellmate, the cellmate’s suicide and its effect on JR? His being targeted, Brendan and his group helping him? Interest in Brendan, his reputation, the chess game, his clever moves? Indebted to Brendan? To his group? The fights? The man falling to his death? Brendan and his notes, giving them to JR, JR and the exit, freedom?

5. JR contacting Sam, Russian, criminal, his lavish home, the new flat for JR, the touch of luxury? The visit from Tasha? His freedom, looking out on the beach? The phone calls, the orders? With Sam’s group, Josh and his criticisms of JR?

6. JR going to the former soldier, the stash of guns, testing them out, buying them, the target practice? the character of the arms dealer and his experience? Hiring the helicopter, pulling the gun, the landing in the prison, the shootout and the escape? Landing, the cars, the radio information about the prisoner who was an abuser, Brendan bashing and leaving him?

7. Going to the apartment, Brendan arranging for a new house at ground level? Brendan and Sam, the chess games and moves? Thieves – and honour or not?

8. The planning of the crime, Sam wanting Josh to be more prominent, Brendan wanting JR? The fight between the two young men? Sam and his orders? The maps, the detail?

9. JR, his age, experience, loyalties, criminal world, memories of his own father, needing a father-figure? The interactions with Tasha, her place with Sam, for show? The bar, going out, the Chinese meals, the chopsticks? Tasha and her hesitation? Wary about sex? The night together, the lies to Sam?

10. Carrying out the crime, Kalgoorlie, the vistas, the plant, JR in the roof, the others coming in with the vehicles, JR dropping the torch, opening the door, the staff and their fear, producing the gold bars, the group taking them? Josh, shooting the man in the leg? Alerting authorities? Brendan and his reaction? The difficulties, getting out, the long police pursuit? Sterlo and his loyalty to the group, his wife and family, his being shot, dying? JR and Brendan burning the car and the body? Seeing the television and the information?

11. The arrangement, Sam, going to Melbourne, on the train, Tasha with the group? In Melbourne, Brendan and the contact, Sam’s henchmen, buying him off? The motel? Going to the meeting place, the ambush the shootings? Taking the gold?

12. Going back to the airport, the disguises, priests, the wheelchair, the gold getting on the plane? The confrontation with Sam? Shootout?

13. Tasha, packing, the criminal coming, her getting away? Discussions with JR, giving him the medal as a charm? The message that everything was not
as it appeared? Her leaving, JR phoning her?

14. Brendan, buying the boat? JR turning the tables, the flashback to the motel and his transferring the gold? Tasha, looking with the binoculars, JR the clash with Brendan, his falling into the water (and the previous scene when Josh pushed him into the pool and Tasha rescued him because he could not swim)? In the small boat, the escape?

15. Brendan, the police coming, his arrest, in jail? And the postcards from JR – and gold awaiting him in Darwin if he ever got out?