THE TAVERNA

Australia, 2019, 86 minutes, Colour.
Vangelis Mourikis, Rachel Kamath, Senol Mat, Emily O' Brien- Brown, Emmanuela Costaras, Tottie Goldsmith, Salman Arif, Peter Paltos, Maria Mercedes, Christian Charisiou.
Directed by Alkinos Tsilimidos.

A night at the Tavern. The Greek Taverna. And, where is the Taverna? In Melbourne, which has one of the largest Greek populations in the world. But, this is Melbourne and not everyone that works at the taverna is Greek. There is a Turk. There are two with Indian backgrounds. And there are some Melbourne locals. The touch of cosmopolitan Melbourne.

On the whole, this is a very cheerful film though most of the characters are not without their problems. Rather, it is a couple of the customers who are not pleasant.

We arrive with the owner, Kostas (veteran Greek actor, Vangelis Mourikis). He opens up the kitchen to begin the night proceedings. And, 80 minutes or so later, we close up with him, quite the wiser and a little more sympathetic about the human problems that need solving.

Kostas is a good man, a kind man. He has a loving wife, Helen (Maria Mercedes). They are both concerned about their ice-addict architect son, indulging him in cash, prepared to take blame for his selfish and careless behaviour. On the staff is Katarina, in love with the son, but very clearheaded about how his situation should be dealt with, especially by his parents. There is a young in worker in the kitchen who does have problems with his work visa. Sally, Emily O’Brien-? Brown, one of the producers of the film) is earnest, the touch of the perfectionist, but completely devoted to her lazy partner – and Katarina has some good advice for her as well.

The chef is an old Turk, who lost his wife and family long since and is still grieving. He is a good friend to everyone. But, on this particular night, it is belly dancer night. Jamila is the dancer – and does charm all the patrons, many turning up because it is belly dancer night. And, if the other members of staff have problems, Jamila much more so – alienate it from her womanising husband, a restraining order against her and his new girlfriend (both of whom turn up at the restaurant), custody issues about the young daughter.

In a way, these are the ingredients of soap opera. But, the characters are engaging and draw our emotional response. There is humour, a touch of good-willed violence, in Sally getting the opportunity to do a belly dance, some thuggish customers who claim to be restaurant judges, even a visit from the police.

While there is coarse language, not as much in so many other films, the Taverna has been given an MA certificate because of the language.

The writer-director is Alkinos Tsilimidos who, unfortunately, has not made many films – the drama Every Night, Every Night, was his earliest film and he directed a finely observed film about city life, Tom White (2004) with Colin Friels.

So, a night out at the Greek Taverna.

1. The title? The Greek restaurant? In the Melbourne Street? The audience spending one night there with the staff and their problems, with the customers?

2. Kostas arriving and opening up, the setting up of the kitchen with the chef, the staff, the night with the belly dancer, her arriving and getting ready, the dance and the customers? The further complications with each of the staff members? And the film ending with Kostas closing the restaurant?

3. The tone of the film, warmth, problems, audience sympathy?

4. Kostas, his age, experience, manner, kind-hearted? With each of the staff? The kitchen, rallying the audiences, introducing the belly dancer, handling the crisis and the next belly dancer, his friend and the irony of her coming with the belly dancer’s husband, emotional tangles, her disappearance, the genial customers, response to the dance, the ocker customers and their demands, food critics on the Internet? His wife, her concern, his drug-addicted son, willing to take the blame for the hit run accident?

5. Jamila, her story, her background, alienated from her husband, her daughter, the restraining order with Rebecca? And need for money? Her dance and success? Her husband arriving, antagonism towards Rebecca? Unwilling to do the dance? Training Sally? Sally’s success, giving her the tips? Eventually confronting her husband? Resolving the issues, the separation?

6. Sally, genial, working with the staff, serving the customers, wanting to be an actress, the possibility for the belly dancing, Jamila training her, her perfectionist ambitions, the performance, the goal of tormenting Rebecca on behalf of Jamila? The customers? The ocker man touching her, her response, the young men and the fight starting? The conversations with Katarina, her relationship with Frank and his laziness, her following Katarina’s advice in getting him to get his own meal?

7. Katarina, the Greek background, her work, with the customers? Her past relationship with Kostas’ son? Separation? Still loving him? Giving Kostas good advice about not giving his son money, being stern with him, getting him to stand on his own feet? Her good advice to Sally about her partner?

8. The young Indian man, photos, his work, the difficulties with his working visa?

9. The chef, the Turkish background, losing his wife and children, his continued grief, at work, kindly? His abducting Rebecca and locking her in the van? The problem with the possums? The ocker group and his making the souvlaki with possum meat?

10. Jamila’s husband, smug, womanising, a roving eye, dancing with Sally? Rebecca’s reaction, her family background, wealthy? Walking out, her insulting the chef, his abducting her, tying her up and putting her in the van? Her eventual reappearance, upset? The husband, his concern, continued phone calls? His final sitting and talking with Jamila?

11. The customers, eager for the belly dancer, the tips, the men dancing, the youngsters in their excitement, the ockers, lounging, their demands, the threat about their online criticism, to close down the restaurant, their enjoying the souvlaki possum?

12. Kostas, the visit of his son, his giving and the money, his son’s architectural ambitions, ice-addiction, the accident, his leaving, his mother’s arrival, the plan for Kostas to take the blame, that he was driving, Katarina’s advice, the police and the interrogation, his admitting that his son was driving?

13. A cross-section of human problems in the context of a night at the restaurant?