DROWN

Australia, 2015, 93 minutes, Colour.
Matt Levett, Jack Matthews, Harry Cook, Sam Anderson, Maya Stange, Jay R Tinaco.
Directed by Dean Francis.

Drown is not an easy watch. While very interesting, it offers a tough subject and tough exploration of characters.

The title has the overtones of water, death – and possible rescue. All in evidence in this film. This is the case right from the beginning with a voice-over by the star at the Sydney Beach Lifesaver club, Lenny (Matt Levett very forceful in a central role, a young man full of self-doubt with self-assertive behaviour). Lenny is swimming, talking about himself, the end of the world, about a young woman that he had not been able to save from drowning. His words are important and the whole scene is taken up at the end with devastating significance.

This is an Australian story. It is a Sydney story. It is a beach story. It is a young men’s story. And the particular focus with two of the central characters is homosexual orientation, coming out, or denial, desire and lust, some self-acceptance and some sobering repercussions of denial.

The screenplay co-written by Dean Francis, who also directed the film and edited it, is based on a play by Stephen Davies. The scenario has been opened out considerably and does not give the impression of having been a play originally – although there is quite a deal of voice-over and a style of commentary within the voice-over with comments like, he said, I said… The screenplay is also demanding on audience attention, the basic situation and a whole range of flashbacks, actual events, but a great emphasis on Lenny and the memories that keep coming into his mind.

The focus of Lenny’s attention is a new recruit as a lifesaver, Phil (Jack Matthews), good-looking, strong, beating champion Lenny in variations on the Iron Man race, popular at the club and becoming a new champion. Lenny and the audience discover that Phil is a gay man, a scene where he meets his partner, Tom (Sam Anderson) at a bookshop and setting up a home with him. Phil’ encounters with Tom are part of Lenny’s constant memories, Lenny becoming more obsessed while in denial about his feelings.

A surprise occurs when there is a flashback to Lenny as a child, his tough lifesaver father hosing him down on the front lawn, calling him faggot, demanding that he be a man and assert himself. This is highlighted when Lenny wins his trophy and attributes his success to his father, now infirm and with breathing apparatus.

The other central character is called Meat, Harry Cook, Lenny’s friend from school days, a pleasant young man in his way, a touch hefty, a touch dependent, and definitely Lenny’s acolyte, doing whatever Lenny asked – as has been seen in a flashback where he and Lenny bash a young gay boy at school.

While we have seen aspects of the climactic scene, it all comes to a head with Lenny’s attempt to humiliate and demean Phil, Lenny’s self-directed homophobia directing his malevolent behaviour.

The performances are very effective, the entry into the different world of Lenny and Phil challenging the audience about homosexuality, acceptance and denial – and the drowning repercussions of denial.

1. The title, water, rescue, death? Images of water? Images of water, swimming, drowning? Themes?

2. An Australian story? Sydney story? Beach story? Young men’s story?

3. The locations, the beaches, the sand, the waves, surfing, swimmers, sun-bakers? The lifesavers and the tower? Clubs, King’s Cross, the streets? The gay bar? The Mardi Gras procession? The musical score?

4. The theme of homosexuality, the response of Australian audiences? The focus of the characters, characters who were out, characters in denial and the effect? Latent homosexuality, extroverted homosexuality? Issues of self-image, self-acceptance, self-condemnation? Gay men in the street, camaraderie of the surfing club? Friendships? Gay relationships, as ordinary, domestic? The Mardi Gras procession, the floats? The visuals: bodies, sexual activity? Young men, coping or not? How insightful was the screenplay?

5. Lenny, his voice-over, the initial swimming, his comment about the end of the world, his low self-image, remembering the girl who had died? His place in the lifesaving club, the trophies, his father and grandfather, his being the champion, receiving the trophy? Secure and not secure?

6. The structure of the film, in the present, Lenny swimming, his commentary, brought up again at the end? The insertion of flashbacks? His childhood, memories of Phil? The audience constructing the narrative? The lifesaving club and its ethos? Lenny and his friend, his penis, calling him Meat, their activities at school? The bashing of the gay boy? Phil and his arrival at the club, Lenny and his jealousy, rivalry, in the competition, Lenny seeing Phil with his partner, the effect? Lenny and his show poses, buying the trunks, looking at himself in the mirror, his orientation, lust, dislike of Phil, mean and destructive?

7. Lenny, his childhood, his father hosing him down when a boy, calling him faggot, getting Lenny to assert himself? Lenny’s memories, yet his speech at the reception of the trophy, the tribute to his father, his father and the breathing apparatus? Lenny in this popularity with the team, with the audience at the celebration?

8. The character of Meat, school, his penis size, his name, his friendship with Lenny, the bashing at school, his being a follower, the nature of his friendship, except in the way that he was treated, ordered around by Lenny? Heterosexual, at the gay club, the toilet and the proposition, his response, his reaction to Lenny’s behaviour, his friendship with Phil?

9. Lenny, swimming to the rescue of the girl, the encounter, the kiss, her swimming out and drowning? Her later appearing in his consciousness? Following her example?

10. Phil, his arrival, the strong presence, his skills, rescuing the boy, winning the race? His wanting to belong to the club, following Lenny? The encounter with Tom at the bookshop, the attraction, the relationship, at home, the support, at the Mardi Gras? At the end with Phil being rescued?

11. The night out, Lenny leading, pressurising the others to drink, going to King’s Cross, the streets, the gay men kissing on the street, going to the bar, the Asian young man and his proposition to Meat, Lenny watching Phil, Phil at ease, drinking, taking the drugs, dancing, Lenny going downstairs, the encounter with the Asian, the sexual experience, his reaction, getting out, going to the car?

12. The scene on the beach, Lenny and the mixtures of motivation, forcing Meat to dig, wanting to humiliate Phil, the stripping, its effect? The fight with Meat and touching him and Meat’s reaction? Phil and his being out of it, response, being buried? Lenny and his attacking Meat and not filling in the hole, challenging him to the swim, their swimming out to sea, Meat and his challenge to Lenny, Lenny continuing out, the initial voice-over – and Lenny and his drowning?