HOW TO MAKE GRAVY

Australia, 2024, 120 minutes, Colour.

Daniel Henshall, Hugo Weaving, Agathe Rousselle, Brenton Thwaites, Damon Herriman, Kate Mulvaney, Benedict Hardie, Fayssal Bazzi, Kieran Darcy-Smith, Kim Gyngell, Jonah Wren Phillips, Adam Briggs.

Directed by Nick Waterman.

Paul Kelly has been a musical icon in Australia for decades, singer and performer, composer, strong songs and lyrics. This film is based on his Christmas song, How to make Gravy, 1996 (the lyrics can be found by Googling). Producer, Meg Washington and her partner, director, Nick Waterman, have elaborated on the characters and situations in the song, creating a narrative – and introducing a most sympathetic character, not in the song, the prisoner, Noel.

The film has a Queensland setting, an extended family gathering for Christmas, the background of grief with the central character, Joe (Daniel Henshall) grieving the death of his mother. There is his wife, Rita (French actress Agatha Rousselle), his young son Angus (Jonah Wren Phillips) young daughters. For the Christmas dinner, his sister and brother, uncles, some of the guests are initially jovial, the grief surfacing, Joe highly aggressive towards his brother-in-law, a fight, the police, in prison.

In prison, Joe is victimised by a fellow prisoner, have Red, and other bullying prisoners. Joe has no anger management and fights back, to his detriment. His wife visiting, his son would like to visit, he has phone calls, but the families not sure how he is bearing up in prison.

Where the original song narrative is enhanced is the introduction of a most sympathetic life-sentence prisoner, Noel (Christmas name and ultimately his wearing the Santa Claus hat), a sympathetically vigorous performance from Hugo Weaving. Noel is charge of the prison kitchen, offers Joe a job, Joe offering his family’s recipe for making gravy. There are some jovial and joyful scenes in the kitchen, the cooking, and, eventually, the chaplain providing some wine for the gravy recipe.

Echoing Paul Kelly’s Catholic background, there is a young chaplain, not many in his congregation, a bit desperate. And there is a prisoners’ choir who perform with zest.

In the meantime, the screenplay offers the difficulties at home, Angus and his tensions, his musician uncle trying to help out at home (Brenton Thwaites), Joe in an angry outbur but provoked st being prevented from seeing his wife and son at Christmas.

How does the film bring everything to a climax – Angus angry with his mother and uncle, running away, going to the prison – but a kindly guard allowing Angus in and a happy reconciliation with his father. And the kindly Noel effecting some peace in the prison.

A film for Australian audiences to enjoy – with the hope that others will enjoy it as well.

1. Paul Kelly’s song, popular, Christmas, prison, family? A dramatisation of the song?
2. The Queensland setting, the town, home for Christmas, the prison, exteriors, interiors, the kitchen, the yard and fights? The musical score, the range of songs, music and lyrics?
3. The Christmas theme, the first Christmas, 51 weeks later? Introduction to Joe, lying on his bed, Angus urging him awake, preparing for Christmas, the grief at the death of his mother, his relationship with his wife, daughters? The guests arriving for Christmas, the uncles, his sister and Roger, Dan, the separation, his daughter?
4. The tension at the table, the speeches, the conversation, aftermath, family tensions, criticisms, squabbles, Joe and his aggression, Roger, the fight, the calling of the police?
5. Joe in jail, his angers, his grief, the visits from his wife and their talking, his son wanting to visit, the phone calls? The routines of the prison, Joe being picked on, Red his associates, the violence, Joe as victim? The other prisoners, life in the prison?
6. Noel, his Christmas name, Hugo Weaving’s presence, in jail for life, yet his attitudes, offering to help Joe, offering him the job in the kitchen, Joe and his return, the rules, the attendance at the meetings, the significance of the meeting, Joe telling his story, the response of the men? Joe and the recipe for gravy, the ingredients, no wine? The bonding with the men in the kitchen, the preparation of the meals? The preparation for Christmas, the detail? Joe at home in the kitchen, going to the concert, looking forward to Angus’s visit? Red picking on him, the fight, his being prevented from seeing his son?
7. The men in the kitchen, the choir practices, the priest, talking with the men, the concert, the sermon, his drinking the wine, his bringing the wine as a gift for the gravy? Noel’s intervention?
8. Rita and the children at home, Dan moving in, helping, the girls coping, the pressure on Rita, her love for Joe, her mother’s phone calls, her choices? Dan and his support? The dancing, Angus’s anger? Going to see Joe with Angus, his not being allowed the visit?
9. Dan, his daughter, the woman across the street, her bullying sons picking on Angus, the fight? Her chatting with Dan, the sexual encounter? And having to come to terms with himself and Mary? Her saying she had forgiven him?
10. Stella, with Roger, the visit to Joe, the tensions with Roger, the bouquet, his presence at the meal, the only one at home during the search, talking with John on the phone, the apology? Stella and the future with him, saying her choice was family or Roger?
11. Angus, the upset, seeing his mother in Dan, running away, the search, the desperation? The bike, the dog and the bus, Paul Kelly as the driver, going to the prison, the sympathetic guard and surveillance, letting Angus in, keeping the dog? Bringing Joe to the visiting room, revealing Angus, the embrace?
12. Joe and his final confrontation with Red, standing up to him and his bullying? Noel making him to go to the concert? Getting the meal, some kind of peace?
13. The Christmas ending, family reconciliations, hope for the future?