STONE BROS
Australia, 2009, 89 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Richard Frankland.
Stoned Bros. Might have been just as apt a title for this oddball Australian comedy with serious undertones.
Stone refers to particular stones from the land which two aboriginal men who work in Perth (well, one does (Eddie), and conscientiously, and the other (Charlie) certainly doesn't, except for working at some gleeful mayhem). Charley gives away Eddie's coat, containing the stone and his health care card and Eddie, who values the stone given to him by his uncle, is really upset because he wants to return home to the land of the stone.
Stoned refers to the number of joints that we see Charley making during the credits and which are smoked with increasing rapidity throughout the film by Charlie, who tempts Eddie, and Reg, an aboriginal transvestite to whom they give a lift and Vincent, a white musician, who hitchhikes with them.
This is a road movie, picaresque adventures along the quest trip home: running down a kangaroo and eating it as bush tucker, experiencing racist shopkeepers, encountering a tough female truck driver, a policeman who wants to be free as well as rescuing Reggie. They go on a detour to a wedding, finding a berserk uncle upsetting the wedding (he does calm down, but the groom becomes too calm as he passes out after a joint). Another detour has them donning paint and stealing another stone from a museum round the Kalgoorlie area. They do get home but Charlie is still mischievous and Eddie still upset with him. However...
Richard Frankland has made some serious and award-wining short films about aborigines and issues. What he was up to in making this comic, sometimes farcical, look at the urbanisation of aboriginal men in the 21st century, their quests and the return to the land, would be interesting to hear. While Eddie and Charlie will live another day, what about the final images of the film? Policeman Peter Phelps going into the desert, stripping off his uniform and merging with the horizon!
1.An Aboriginal story, the cast, the writer-director and his perspectives? Comic, serious?
2.Aborigines in the 21st century, in Perth, city style, work, language? Partying? Serious? Experiencing prejudice? Hopes, family, land?
3.The comic aspects of the film, farcical, empathy, insight?
4.Charlie, full-blood? Referred to as black? Making the reefers? Friendship with Eddie, the visit to the museum, causing mayhem with the falling stack? At home, the woman, her exasperation with him? His giving away the coat, Eddie’s stone? Leaving with Eddie, carefree, irresponsible? His relationships and his friendship with Eddie?
5.Eddie, lighter colour, serious, working at the museum, wanting to keep his job, speaking about a career? The importance of the stone, the coat given away? Wanting to go home, the important urge? Hope? His sense of culture? Mayhem at the museum and Charlie? His anger, leaving, the police? The bond between the two? Driving, accepting the reefer, its effect?
6.The film as a road movie, Eddie’s quest, the detours, the range of people, experiences, the cumulative effect?
7.Hitting the kangaroo, cooking and eating?
8.The shop, Charlie and experiencing the prejudice with the coin, saying, “Have a good day”? Eddie and the different treatment?
9.The garage, the girl, ignoring Charlie, hearing what Eddie said about Reggie? Praising him? The truck, seeing her later, a woman of the outback, tough?
10.Reggie, transvestite, sense of identity, Aboriginal attitudes towards him, the range of clothes and makeup, hair? Talking, making a decision, leaving the manager, the experience of the pimp? Escaping?
11.Vincent, hitchhiking, backing over his guitar? His Italian style, talk, smoking? The company? Friendship with Reggie, support? Staying with Reggie?
12.The police, duty, Peter Phelps as the policeman with issues, desires? The final sense of freedom?
13.The stones, Charlie having his stone, Eddie’s anger? Their going to the museum, the exhibit, painting themselves, stealing the stone?
14.Going to the wedding, the uncle and the dynamite, the chaos? The old woman and her control of the group? Orders? The wedding itself, the bride and groom, the groom with the drugs and his collapse, Charlie and the episode with the bride’s sister? Eddie, the attraction towards the girl, the hopes shattered?
15.The return to the family, the greetings, mother and the smelling of the smoke? The uncle and the stones? His way of control, urging his nephews on? Their culture? The younger men, taking the car?
16.The clash with Charlie, Eddie walking away, Charlie pursuing him, his explanation, the bond, persuading him to come back?
17.Aboriginal perspectives for living in the 21st century, sense of identity, prejudice or not? The Australians of the 21st century?
18.The postscript – and the policeman, stripping away to freedom?
