IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865297/

Plot: It’s not easy being Thomas. He’s turning sixteen; and moving into a new house, and school. His older brother Charlie announces their arrival to the neighbours by banging a wooden spoon and wailing on the front lawn. Charlie doesn’t speak. He’s autistic and has ADD. He’s also unpredictable, sometimes unmanageable, and often disgusting. Thomas hates his brother but wishes he didn’t.

The Mollisons are an army family; but it’s not what you’d call a regimented life, or even a regular household. Thomas’s cricket-obsessed father, Simon, talks to his teddy. Simon and Maggie are openly intimate, and now Maggie is going to have another baby.

One morning, the semi-naked Charlie escapes the house and leads Thomas on a chase across the neighbourhood. Charlie bursts into a stranger’s house to use the toilet; and Thomas finds himself face to face with Jackie Masters, his gawky but fascinating new classmate. The trouble is she’s in the shower.

Maggie has complications with her pregnancy and becomes bedridden. Thomas and Simon between them take on Charlie’s daily routine; and Thomas experiences the less savoury aspects of coping with his brother. What he didn’t bargain for was the shit-smearing, shopping centre tantrums, and riding in the Autistic School bus. It’s sink or swim; and Thomas is drowning.

The truth is he is – literally. The school swimming lessons are a nightmare, because Thomas has never got beyond doggie paddle. Then Thomas is partnered with Jackie for basic life-saving; and Jackie swims like a fish. It’s only when they get to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation that things pick up and young love blossoms between the two – well, three, because Charlie is also entranced by the pretty girl.

Thomas’s birthday dinner turns into a nightmare. Pent-up frustrations about his brother pour out that are both confronting and ultimately heart-warming.

Review:

I had free tickets to see this tonight at a special preview screening before it’s Australian release. It’s an Australian movie starring Toni Collette, I don’t usually like Australian movies but I went and saw this with the missus anyway for something to do.

The movie is based around an Australian family, pregnant mother, father in the military, a son and another who is Autistic. It goes on about their struggle dealing with bringing up an Autistic son, Charlie. But also their other son Thomas who has to deal with it while a relationship is on they way with a girl called Jackie (model Gemma Ward), and also dealing with the troubles people at high school give him about having an Autistic brother, of which they call “spastic”.

Along the way the tension increases between the brothers about Thomas wanting a normal life with a normal brother until they finally snap and end up in a huge family punch up in front of Jackie who ends up in tears and scared. The brothers rekindle their friendship through their own means of communication.

I’d have to say this was pretty good movie, the acting was very intense along with the story line. There are some hilarious moments and some pretty moving ones, it probably sits on the fence being a chick flick. The men can get into it with plenty of shit and piss jokes to make your stomach hurt. But well worth the watch if you’re thinking about seeing it.

P.S. an autistic kid playing in his own shit is bound to make anyone laugh.

Rating
4/5