JACK IRISH
Australia, 2018, 300 minutes, Colour.
Guy Pearce, Marta Düsseldorp, Aaron Pedersen, Roy Billing, Shane Jacobson, Jacek Koman, Deborah Mailman, Danielle Spencer, Damien Richardson, Damien Garvey, John Flaus, Terry Norris, Kate Atkinson, Kym Gyngell.
Directed by Mark Joffe, Kriv Stenders,
Jack Irish is the creation of celebrated crime novelist, Peter Temple. He featured in five movies made for television stirring Guy Pearce as Jack. Guy Pearce made the character his own, a lawyer down on his luck, experiencing depression, failing in relationships, yet loyal to friends. The films were so successful that a six part television series was developed, taking its lead from Temple’s work.
The series had a very strong cast of notable Australian actors. Marta Düsseldorp plays a love interest which fails, and she is a journalist going to the Philippines wanting to adopt a child and meeting a new partner, Jacek Koman. There is a subplot involving racing in all the films with Roy Billing and Aaron Pedersen. Shane Jacobson reappears as a bluff policeman. Down of the local pub, Damien Garvey is the manager, with old-timers sitting at the bar in a relationship with a Chinese woman.
The main focus of the series is on students from Asia, especially India, who become victims of a shoddy exploitative alleged school. There is quite some detail given about the school, the students, the wealthy principal and her double dealings, links with government and issues of visas. But, one Indian student suffers and episode in the street and is killed by a bus. There is a further complication with a courier, a friend of Jack’s, who took a parcel which was never delivered, found several years later by a birdwatcher (comedian Tom Gleason in a cameo) which leads to the discovery of his body and more connections with the school as well as connections with the courier service which is a cover for drug deliveries.
The plot becomes more complicated with the dead Asian students, Jack consulting a psychiatrist, played by Danielle Spencer, which leads to Jack meeting a scientific researcher who is shot at and outside table at a cafe, but has a list of the dead students. This leads to a foundation, a very large grant, experimentation with developing a drug, the students being the guinea pigs – and some disastrous results.
The characters are always interesting. In the plot complications work out significantly at the end.
Directors of the series include Mark Joffe and Kriv Stenders (possibly best known for Red Dog).
1. The work of Peter Temple, the adaptation of his novels? An invented screenplay on the basis of his novels and characters?
2. The Melbourne settings, authentic feel, detail, Fitzroy, Werribee and the races, Caulfield racecourse? The countryside, Mansfield? The city streets, the home and buildings, the pub, the office, government offices, the school, migrant accommodation, the world of the couriers, the drug lab? The musical score?
3. The link with the novels and the television adaptations?
4. Guy Pearce as Jack Irish, in himself, age, experience, lined face, prone to depression, work in the law? His past? The relationship with Linda, the tensions, her leaving, his sending the parcel with the jersey, the note? And Linda not getting it? Leaving for the Philippines? Going down to the pub, his friendship with Stan, with the old men and their reminiscences? Drew and the professional work? Harry, the races, Cam? The police and Barry? His getting help from Simone? His work, the phone calls, the trivial cases about centimetres property? His friendship with the couriers, the discovery of the mail, the various links, the further investigation, following the law, his own independence? Depression, going to the doctor, the reference to the psychiatrist?
5. His personal story, Linda, the parcel, Linda in the Philippines, her fiance, considering adoption? Jack and his phone calls? Linda going to India for the puff television piece, the further investigations, the discovery of the deaths, being warned away, returning to Melbourne? Her marriage, and her husband befriending the old codgers at the pub?
6. The friendship with Drew, advice, Drew and Simone, the breakup, Simone and her personality, dressing up, being happy in the office, her skills with computers and research? Drew and his going to the men’s seminars?
7. Stan, his story, his wife and her leaving, staying at the pub, never travelling beyond Seymour, Cherry Blossom and her presence, tough, his falling in love, her changing the menu, criticism of the old codgers, preparation for marriage, her being reported, deported? Stan and his decision to sell, to go to China? The joy of her return?
8. The old codgers, characters, from the television series, the death of their friend, the vacant chair, the competition for the third chair, Des and discussing the football? Gus and their liking her? Conversation? Linda’s husband and is immediate friendship, occupying the chair?
9. The racing story, self-contained? Jack and his involvement in friendship? Harry, his racing career, retiring, playing golf, being bored, the encounter with the criminal on the golf course? His friendship with Cam, Cam wanting a new, full-time job? The meals, the guests, Jack not turning up? Issues of manners? Harry’s wife, losing the money, Harry and his secret stash, happy to go back to racing? The suspicions, Cynthia and her role as a steward, the meetings, going to the meal? The trainer and his being put upon, awkward in manner? The other horses and the interference? The criminal, his cross-dressing, his assistant? His bets, making money? Harry getting the group meeting together, Jack and his presence, Cynthia and the attack on her house and her change of heart? The owners of the horses? The bets, the plan for the substitution, their winning?
10. The opening in India, the distraught father after the video of his enthusiastic daughter? The scene of her in the street, head on fire, going under the bus? The incident being filmed? The background of the school, the manager and her manner, Jack and the interviews? The racket, the poor accommodation, the visa issues, the complicity with the government? The thugs and their action?
11. Eddie, the courier, friendship with Jack? The parcel for Linda, its being lost? Eddie and his concern about the girl’s death? His disappearance? The comedy with the birdwatcher, finding the parcel, returning it to Jack? Jack and his visits? The going to Ballarat, the mineshaft, finding the body? Going to visit the head of the courier service, his reactions? The range of people working for him, from Asia? The information of his drug empire, and the couriers and their work? Jack setting up a visit?
12. Jack, the visit to the students, the lists, the effect? Documents, visas, the government and double standards and deals? The drugs and the cover?
13. The researcher, living in his car, his list, going to see Jack, his being shot at the cafe? Jack investigating, the car, the pen and its use, Jack finding the list? The true story about the researcher?
14. Rory, her practice, her visits to the students in custody? Jack’s visit, his dossier from his doctor, her life at home, her children, living with her husband for peace, her father at home? Her beginning the affair? The visits to Jack, overnight?
15. Charlie story, his work, carpentry? Death and funeral, Jack’s speech? Gus, the visits, intruding, alienation from her parents, her carpentry work, antisocial behaviour invading homes? Going to the pub, being welcomed by the old men? Her dislike of Rory? Her future?
16. The visit to the foundation, Jack’s discussion with Rory’s husband? The revelation about the project, the money, the research and experimentation with drugs? The father and his empire, his daughter’s loyalty? His bequeathing the business to his son-in-law?
17. The launch, Linda, Jack and his infiltration? The expose, the visuals? Jack taken, the injection? The truth about the research, the experimentation, the role of the professor, the school, the students and their being subject to the experiments?
18. The resolution, the union father and his daughter’s ashes? The expose of the drugs, of the foundation, the school? And the resolution of the pub story, Cherry Blossom and her return, Simone and her continuing to help Jack? The race story? Jack and his future?
