DOWNUNDER

Australia, 2016, 90 minutes, Colour.
Lincoln Younes, Rahel Ronahn, Michael Denkha, Fayssal Bazzi, Alexander England, Damon Herriman, Justin Rosniak, Chris Bunton, Harriet Dyer, David Field, Marshall Napier, Josh Mc Conville.
Directed by Abe Forsythe.

Downunder is the kind of film that we say we would not like to see – but, in fact, it is a film that we should see. It is a portrait of ugly Australians.

The film draws on Australian audience memory of the race riots at Cronulla and in the Shire at the end of 2005. Mainly young protesters, becoming more violent and vicious as the protests and fights went on, declaring that they wanted to preserve Australian culture (not really having a clue what that meant), rather oblivious of Australia’s migratory history or that of indigenous people, but making the target the Lebanese community in the area, Lebs, including their presence on Cronulla beach, taken as symbolic of what they thought was wrong with this part of Sydney – and Australia.

It is interesting to note that the film was released commercially soon after the 2016 federal elections with the emergence again of Pauline Hanson and three of her associates finding places in the Senate. The scenes in Cronulla in 2005 presage of so much of the philosophy of One Nation, anti-migration, anti-Chinese, anti-Islam… A frightening reminder that history can repeat itself.

The film uses a lot of footage from the news of the time, the very disturbing close-ups of angry young men, mainly men, but women also, an alarming peer pressure that overflows into vicious slogans and physical violence, with the police trying to cope with the protesters.

But then, the film narrows its focus considerably, concentrating on a group of white protesters and a group of Lebanese. This means particular dramas – but the screenwriter and director, Abe Forsythe, has made the choice for comic representation of the characters and their conflicts. While some of the scenes and dialogue are funny ha-ha, and we can laugh, the point is that the ideology (which, rather dignifies the ignorant attitudes), the language and behaviour is often really dopey, really dumb. The screenplay clearly demonstrates how this kind of racism, attitudes and behaviour, is really stupid.

In the white group, there is a rather genial character, whose name is Shit-Stick? (Alexander England), who works in a DVD store, takes his Down syndrome cousin for driving lessons, is often seen with his drugs and bong, who does not want to be racist but is pressurised by some friends (and his first seemingly benign uncle, Marshall Napier, who urges the group on and lends them his World War I trophy rifle and one bullet). The leader of this group is Jason (Daniel Herriman) who is all talk but has a most slatternly pregnant girlfriend with two children who interrupts the proceedings by demanding that Jason pick up some takeaway for her – and she wants kebabs! They go to buy them.

In the meantime, Hasim (Lincoln Younes) is a serious student but he too has a demanding friend, Nick, and bellicose uncle, and makes the choice to go out with them in order to find his brother who may have been caught up in the violence. Off they go to get some weapons from Nick’s drug boss Vic, David Field camping it up, a gay men with Vietnamese boys at hand, pornography on the television, and a crew packing the drugs.

After various encounters, Hasim being chased and bashed by another white group, and Jason having delivered food to his girlfriend, there is an unexpected confrontation, mainly through arguments within each car leading to a crash. This is no gunfight at the OK Corral, rather awkward chases, bashings, gunshots and some unexpected injuries, especially with pathos for the Down Syndrome cousin who has been urged on to bash Lebs but in his heart of hearts appreciates people for who they are.

One of the jokes needs to be seen – one of the Whites has had his head and face tattooed and wants to have Ned Kelly’s helmet, but the joke is what he looks like when he takes off all his facial coverings. This needs to be seen rather than described!

The language in the film is quite strident and vulgar, sexually and genitally over-focused and extremely homophobic and insulting – part of the dumb stupidity that is incorporated into racist rants.

The film is quite well constructed, the parallels made, the setting given in the actual footage of 2005, the exploration of the characters in each group. Maybe, Downunder is preaching to the converted anti-racists. Would it do anything to change the bigoted attitudes of the racist were they to see the film? Unfortunately, probably not.

1. The title, the tone? Australia? Australian society, 21st-century, in the light of Australian history and migration?

2. Racism, Sydney, 2005, Cronulla and the Shire? The impact of this episode in its time? We created for 2016? The Australian political situation – and the impact of One Nation?

3. Sydney, the newsreel footage, the riots, the vicious outbursts, the violence, verbal attacks? The young, men, women? Racial hatred? The role of the police, defence and attack?

4. The rioters, white, prejudiced, ignorant? The irony of not knowing the Ned Kelly was Irish? Protective of white culture? The glorification of white culture – not really understanding it? The attitudes toward the Lebanese, migrants, greasy, wanting a fight?

5. The Lebanese, the reactions, going to violence, protest and fighting?

6. The opening with the overview of the Shire, Cronulla the beaches, the suburbs, the streets, the riots and fights? Moving to the particular? The white group, Sheet-Stick? and even, is taking the drugs, working in the DVD shop, Jason and Coe, friends? Stacey, a rough manner, pregnant, shouting at her children? Jason wanting to attack, Dig and his statues? Insisting, captured-Capstick not wanting to go? Leadership, protest? Inciting Evan to antagonism? Wanting fights? The aggression, the language, the sexual and genital focus, the fake it wants? Taking the car, the guns, the petrol in the back?

7. Captured-Capstick? and his uncle, Evan and the driving class, the crash, issues of pay, taking responsibility? The explanation of fight, the uncle getting out his World War I rifle? And the petrol?

8. The Lebanese group, are seen,, studying, serious? Not wanting to go, his brother missing? Nick and his appeal, urging? Ha seem saying they were not 12 still? The uncle coming in, his reaction, wanting to go? The aggressive language like the white group?

9. Going to Victor’s house, the gay atmosphere, the Vietnamese, the pornography on the television, the marketing of the drugs, the cat is taunting, gun pointed at Hussey, getting removed his trousers? Nick and his rubble?

10. The white group in the car, travel, Stacey’s phone call, wanting some food, the only wanting kebabs? Leaving the Shire, going to the shop, bashing the owner, the orders for the food, take away?

11. The second white group, the leader, urging, the Polynesian man, chasing a scene, exhausted, finding passing, the bashing? Nick and his reaction?

12. The growing tensions, the irony of letting the Chinese go, the white couple and even in his confrontation, looking for Lebanese?

13. The two groups driving, the crash, the reactions? Getting out, the uncle injured? Ditch and is taking his mask off – Kelly but looking like the burqa? The fights, the bashings, the guns? The chase? The cliff – and the sad irony of Evan backing the car over the cliff? The backfiring of the rifle? I seem and the violence of his bashings? Nick and the shooting?

14. Nick, the comments of that fact it’s, his attitude towards Hussey, the kiss?

15. Group waiting, the police arriving? The irony of the brother ringing, having the lists lift to the Gold Coast?

16. The portrayal of the racism, ignorance, stupidity, down, dopey? The ironic laughs at such stupidity?

17. The message, how much preaching to the converted who are against racism, possibility of changing attitudes, the response of the types in the film to watching this kind of film?

18. Hasim and Shit-Stick? as basically good persons? Evan and the talk about friends, breaking through barriers? And not blind following?