‘Bran Nue Dae’ a bright Aussie experience
Published 10:41 pm Thursday, September 23, 2010
Peering into the Australian hit “Bran Nue Dae,” it is possible to understand why this musical touched a nerve Down Under, both as a stage hit 20 years ago and as a recent film release.
You can understand it more than participate in it, probably. Broad and silly and painted in eye-blinding colors, “Bran Nue Dae” seems to have a uniquely Aussie flavor — and in its own campy way, it addresses a sore point of Australian culture.
Most of the cast is comprised of Aboriginal people, whose ancestors were the indigenous population of Australia, and whose existence was completely marginalized by the white folks who came to settle there.
It’s typical of the movie’s approach that the lyrics “There’s nothing I would rather be/Than to be an Aborigine/And watch you take my precious land away” are delivered as cheery, ironic pop music, not a bitter lament.
There’s a thin storyline: Plucky hero Willie (Rocky McKenzie) can no longer remain in his Catholic boarding school and runs away to return to his hometown of Broome. The goofy headmaster (Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush) won’t let this stand and goes in pursuit.
As Willie finds a traveling companion in a singing hobo (Ernie Dingo), he longs for a reunion with his dream girl (Jessica Mauboy, a winner on Australia’s version of “American Idol,” which I suppose is called “Australian Idol”).
The road trip is destined to tie every plot strand together in ways that stagger belief, but believability is not really the point. Having a good time is.
The songs, by Jimmy Chi and others, have apparently become anthems in the Aboriginal community since the original stage show. You can see why: In their exuberance, they seize a certain optimistic tone for indigenous people — a celebratory attitude that serves as a rallying cry, not a death knell. (A “brand new day,” as the title translates.)
I wish the movie around this spirit was grounded in — well, anything. Director Rachel Perkins keeps everything so lighter-than-air that the film begins to resemble a batch of brightly colored helium balloons.
Well, why not? In Australia, the movie has turned into one of that country’s biggest financial successes. More power to it, even if American audiences are less likely to feel the love.
“Bran Nue Dae” 2 stars
An Aboriginal musical, consisting of a very thin road-trip plot, a series of anthemic songs, and a great deal of silly, broadly-played attitude. It was a big hit in Australia, where its light touching on national sore spots probably meant more than it will in the U.S.
Rated: PG-13 for subject matter
Showing: Metro
