PLAY IT SAFE
Australia, 2015, 91 minutes, Black and white.
Nicholas Kato, Maya Aleksandra, Christine Lui, Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall?, Clayton Jacobson, Christina Kato, Spencer Gigacz, Kane Felsinger.
Directed by Chris Pahlow.
Play it Safe is a micro-budget film, made locally in Melbourne, utilising suburban locations as well as sequences in the city. It has also been filmed in black and white, to advantage in presenting the perspective on characters in the city.
The principal appeal of the film will be to the under-30s, the young adults trying to begin a career, especially in music, performance and composition. There is a variety of music, some rap songs, touches of jazz, some personal, moving towards classical composition in sequences of playing simply at home or in performance in clubs.
Nicholas Kato plays Jamie, in his mid-20s, part of a band who have been on tour but people have not gone out to see and hear them. They are still rehearsing, but squabble and the band disbands.
Jamie plays quietly at home, an introspective character, put upon by his room mate, Jeff (Alasdair Tremblay- Birchall, actor and writer for such TV programs as Sean Micaleff’s Mad as Hell), unable to respond to playing at a girlfriend’s exhibition opening, criticised by his father (Clayton Jacobson) who is urging him to do something worthwhile.
The film picks up as it moves along, audiences becoming used to Jamie, understanding him better, liking him more. This is especially the case when he does an interview with a rather I-am, Alpha-male founder of a small college for teaching music, with strict instructions to keep to his absolutely worked out curriculum. There is an amusing collage where we see Jamie meeting a variety of students, an enthusiastic older woman, a little girl, a seemingly indifferent boy, and Spencer, who really does not want to be there and how much he prefers to play with his Rubik cube and to read out the fantasy stories that his parents do not approve of.
There is some brightness in Jamie’s life when he is attracted to the secretary of the college, Chloe (Christine Lui) and they date for a while – although she is put off when he invites her home and they have a conversation with Jeff, and she is upset that Jamie doesn’t intervene to defend her.
Obviously, things will not go too well at the college and Jamie has to look further employment, the relationship with Chloe lapses, he meets the former girlfriend again, gets a new and seemingly worthwhile job, using his personalised methods of interacting with the students rather than an imposed curriculum, and, he is still moving towards 30…
1. A modest, small-budget film? Local, Melbourne? Likeable?
2. Black-and-white photography, the local flavour, the scenes of Melbourne, flats and homes, clubs and bars, exhibitions, school, migrant offices and classes?
3. The music, the theme, Jamie and his playing, compositions, playing at home, with the band, the rap songs, jazz? The music classes? His final composition, performance?
4. The title, the emphasis on playing, Jamie and his being safe, not taking risks? The change, the challenge before he turned 30?
5. Jamie, his character, age, appearance, his hair and cover, playing, introspective, Jeff interrupting, teasing him, playing monopoly, Jamie resisting? Helping the boy and his rhythms on the computer? Late for the rehearsals, the band and his playing, the failure of the tour, losing money, the arguments between the group, disbanding, the meal with his parents, the issue of the giving him money? His father’s strictures? Sarah, going to the exhibition, his offering to help, her asking him to play, his not being able? Getting the job, the interview with Craig, Craig and his curriculum, success, the collage of the students and their range, old and young, the old lady enjoying it, the young girl, Spencer and his wanting to talk about his fantasy story, the Rubik cube, not wanting to learn the piano? Jamie and Craig, Craig tough, emphasis on the curriculum, reading the riot act, firing him? Chloe, the work, pleasant, going out, the night together, talking, going home, Jeff and his talk, Chloe saying that Jamie should have intervened to defend her? The relationship collapsing? The encounter with Sarah, the bond, night together, her plan for Berlin? His going to see the migrants, teaching with his own engaging method, not a curriculum? His father being satisfied? Composing, travelling the city, the views? Playing, the acclaim? The airport to Sarah? Future?
6. Chloe, secretary, working for Craig, going out, the sex, the evening talking with Jeff, thinking he did not like her, wanting Jamie to stand up for her? The relationship collapsing?
7. Sarah, friend, his declining to play at the exhibition, meeting her again, her plans for Berlin, the relationship? At the airport?
8. Jeff, his patter, comic touches, playing monopoly, the extended song about his being An Accountant? The lyrics? Persuading Jamie to get out?
9. The band, personalities, performance, the rap songs – and their presence at the end?
10. Craig, sure of himself, starting his company, his teachers and the meeting, reading the riot act, his curriculum and being sure, with Jamie and the difficulties with Spencer, the parents paying the money, letting Jamie go?
11. The scenes with his parents, his father’s opinions, giving the money? Finally agreeing – and the challenge before he turned 30?
12. The music director, the agreement, the preparation of the gig, the final performance and acclaim?
13. A slice of Melbourne life – and the challenges for young adults?
