PAWNO
Australia, 2015, 89 minutes, Colour.
John Brumpton, Damian Hill, Maeve Dermody, Malcolm Kennard, Mark Coles Smith, Kerry Armstrong, Tony Rickards, Daniel Frederiksen, Ngoc Phan, John Orcsik.
Directed by Paul Ireland.
There is a lot to like, and a lot of people to like, in this Melbourne slice of life. The action takes place in Barkly Street Footscray, the street, the traffic, the range of shops, centring on the pawnshop, and the whole action of the film taking place from morning till evening.
This is an Australian slice of life, a Melbourne suburban slice of life, a slice of life in the western suburb of Footscray. The audience gets to know quite a number of characters in themselves, their interactions, the range of men and women, young and old, wealthy and poor, homeless people, women working in restaurants and takeaway, in bookshops, multi-cultural community, multiracial, aboriginal, Vietnamese…
The screenplay was written by Damian Hill who appears in the central role of Daniel. It is a perceptive screenplay – although peppered with some extremely blunt language – showing the harshness of people as well as the kindness of people, serious and humorous, some wisecracks, some thoughtful remarks.
The film opens with the pawnshop opening, John Brumpton as Les, the owner, a touch world-weary, imposing on Daniel to do odd jobs in the shop, but kindly to many of the customers, tough with some, even brutally bashing one, a man with a kind heart, but not always kind.
The cast includes Kerry Armstrong as the sad mother, Malcolm Kennard and Mark Coles Smith (so effective in Last Cab to Darwin) as the two homeless men, and Maeve Dermody in the bookshop.
Over the day, many quiet times in the shop, but a range of customers including the father with young boys, appearing in drag, who needs a loan to take his sons to the movies; an older man, Harry, rich and with a family, who seems to spend his time yarning with Les; a man who wants to sell his video camera but leaves the memory card with some sex escapades on it; an Indian taxidriver, with background as a dentist, who wants to get a GPS so that he can be a pizza delivery man; a wealthy woman whose son has disappeared and taken her jewellery and who wants to find him again; the young man earnestly wanting a ring in order to propose to his girlfriend. The characters are well enough written and well enough acted for each to make an impression.
Outside the pawnshop there are two homeless young men, one a bit more simple but imagining himself tough, the other unemployed but who enjoys reading books and has some culture, getting into mischief during the day; there is the proprietor of the takeaway restaurant, a Vietnamese woman who has a sexual relationship with Les; and there is Claire, who works in a bookshop and gets her glasses frame fixed by Daniel who has something of an infatuation for her, writes a poem, she returning a smiley thank you note – and the possibility of their going out together.
In one sense, not a lot happens, but, in fact, quite a lot does happen in the somewhat miniature but effective episodes, the buildup to quite a humane day, not without serious problems, in the suburb of Footscray, but which has a great deal of universal relevance.
1. An Australian slice of life? Melbourne slice of life? Suburban Footscray slice of life?
2. The atmosphere Footscray, the main street, the shops, the traffic, the people, the range of people? The musical score?
3. One day, focusing on the pawnshop, the range of characters, interactions, sad and happy?
4. The picture of Footscray society, multiracial, wealth and poverty, men and women, education and no education, drugs, sexual aspects, how typical? How universal?
5. The range of characters, well drawn, acted, the dialogue, blunt language, harsh, compassionate, serious and humorous?
6. Les, his age, arrival, his shop, looking at the graffiti, weary, going in, Daniel coming late, reading the paper, the range of goods in his shop, moneylending? His imposing on Daniel to do the work, cups of tea, food in the microwave? Harry and his sitting chatting, wanting the gun? The Vietnamese woman, loud, bringing the food, slinging off at Les, the sexual encounter? The thug, the watch, the brawl, Les bashing the man, taking the watch, later giving it to Daniel, washing the blood? The visit of the Indian man, the GPS, dentist, removing Les’ tooth, giving him the GPS? The man with the video camera, later looking at the memory card and the sexual activity? The mother, wanting information about her son, leaving the photo? The man buying the ring? Daniel and the cheaper price, yet making $700? His jokes about Daniel and his reading the book about the steps of love, letting Daniel go early, taking the Vietnamese woman to the art exhibition and giving the ticket to Claire?
7. Daniel, arriving by train, slightly unkempt, late, his relationship with Les, Les’s criticisms, his making the tea and other odd jobs, arranging the jewellery? His passing the bookshop and waving to Claire? Going out to get the money change, seeing the book ini the window and buying it, reading it? His friendship with Paul and Carlo? His work in the shop, meeting the various customers, listening? The thug and Les beating him? Later getting the gift of the watch? Claire, the poem, the thank you note, his happiness, going to rent the suit? His kindness towards the man wanting the ring, taking the lesser money? His kind heart? The concern about his emotional experiences, mental state? Leaving, the train, going to the art show, his art, Claire present, the nature of the paintings, looking over the city, the happy ending kiss?
8. Claire, working at the bookshop, chatting with her companion, listening to her bawdy talk, her friend as a character, all talk, setting her eye on the young man and his having a gay companion, letting Claire go out, Claire and breaking her glasses, going to the shop, Les and his refusal, change of heart, Daniel helping, her return, Daniel giving her the poem, her response, the smiley card, not wanting to go out, Les giving her the invitation, dressing up, meeting Daniel, the exhibition and her response? The kiss? And the irony of her companion at home by herself?
9. Paul and Carlo, on the street, an odd couple, the aboriginal background, Paul aged 30, thinking he was tough, slow witted, the chat on the street, Carlo reading the books, the friendship with Claire and accompanying her? Very little prospects? Not much money? Carlo going to the takeaway, the reaction of the proprietor, owing the money, sharing the soup, taunting Paul and his dropping the soup, Carlo giving him the rest? Stealing the thug’s car and going for a joyride? At home, on the couch, the drugs, Paul taking them, dead?
10. The young girl singing on the street, as a kind of chorus? The African buskers and their dancing? Daniel watching, the heart beat?
11. The lady from Vietnam, loud, bringing the food, sex with Les, being his girlfriend, treatment of Carlo at the restaurant, going with Les to the exhibition?
12. Paige, in drag, walking the streets, the taunting of the young men, borrowing the money, Les kind to her, the kids on the weekend and taking them to the movies, sitting having the coffee, chatting with Daniel? At home, with the boys, taking off her wig?
13. The young man, taunting Paige, coming to buy the ring, his eagerness, the cost too much, setting his heart on the ring, for proposing to his girlfriend, Daniel compassionate, taking the less amount of money?
14. The mother, at home, well-to-do, the tea in the swimming pool, her car ride, the thug tooting her, her going to see Les, asking about the jewellery, the photo of her son, any news if he should turn up?
15. The Indian, on the phone, background as a dentist, driving the taxi, wanting the GPS for delivering pizza? Les being kind, drawing the tooth, friendship? And the first delivery of the pizza with the completely tattooed man and his courteous thanks and the tip?
16. The man wanting to sell the videocamera, pushy, boasting that he had a new one, Les and Daniel watching the sex and the memory card? His return, no memory card – and the return of it and Les sling off at him? Later seeing him at home with his wife and family?
17. The thug, standover tactics, the watch, Les confronting him, the bashing, dragging him out the back door, his sitting in the park, bloodied? His car getting a ticket? Paul and Carlo stealing his car? Arriving home, his daughter, and the criminals coming to take him
away?
18. The range of characters? Seeing them at the end of the day? Harry and his shooting himself? Some sad endings? And happy endings?
