Nadando en libertad

Beautiful Australian drama, based on an anonymous novel, Australia once again starring in beautiful images of its hydro system, and the marine biography, with meticulous and talented photography... And curiously the following year a Blue Grouper known as Gus, who swims alongside divers, was mercilessly killed by a man with a spear who was only fined US$500, a beautiful and necessary film, simple and efficient...

Abby is a child who becomes friends with a magnificent wild Blue Groper while diving. When Abby realizes that the fish is under threat, she is inspired by her activist mother, Dora, and faces poachers to save her friend. Thus begins her long journey to save the coral reefs.

Blueback is a film adaptation of Tim Winton's 1997 novel of the same name, directed by Robert Connolly and starring Mia Wasikowska, Eric Bana and Radha Mitchell. The film tells the story of Abby, a young girl who befriends a wild blue grouper while diving in the pristine waters of Western Australia. As Abby grows up, she learns about the threats facing her marine friend and her home, and decides to take action to protect them.

The film is a visually stunning ode to nature, with breathtaking underwater scenes that showcase the beauty and diversity of life in the ocean. The film also explores themes such as family, identity, activism and environmentalism, with a strong female perspective. Wasikowska gives a nuanced performance as Abby, who evolves from a curious child to a passionate woman. Bana and Mitchell are also convincing as her supportive father and mother, who share her love for the sea.

Blueback is a moving and inspiring film that celebrates the bond between humans and animals, and the importance of preserving our natural heritage. It is a film that will appeal to audiences of all ages who care about our planet.

Abby, a young woman working as a marine biologist, recalls her teenage years with her mother in Western Australia. She is introduced to the diverse marine life in the bay she grew up in, makes friends with a blue groper and helps her mother fight to protect the bay's marine life from encroaching property developers.

A straight-forward, heart-felt film with a pleasant, leisurely pace about pursuing a passion to protect something you care about, aimed at a young audience. The flash-back narrative structure is nostalgic and makes clear why the adult Abby is working to protect the bleaching coral reef, but it obviates any emotional or dramatic impact from either time-period. The underwater photography of the ocean life, and the actors interacting with it, is very beautifully shot, tranquil and convincing of the film's thesis, to protect ocean life. Though short on depth and complexity the film successfully depicts the simplicity and integrity of spending your life caring for your immediate environment.

I saw a pre-showing for this movie and loved every minute of it. The acting coming from everyone was fantastic in it, especially the main girl who conveyed emotions really well. The character development and how the characters grow in the story was so interesting to watch and I was so invested in it. The writing of the script is very clever and each scene in this film was brilliantly executed, and I personally liked the one of the first scenes where the young girl meets the big fish it was so touching and I found that all the parts which were filmed underwater were stunningly beautiful. Something else I really loved about this movie was watching this young girl fighting to save the lives of these fish, it was so inspiring watching her determination grow in this film. Such an AMAZING movie, you HAVE to go see it, perfect for all ages.

Celebrated Australian novelist Tim Winton is one of those literary figures whose work just never quite seems to translate wholly successfully from the page to the screen. Arguably Simon Baker's 2017 adaption of Breath, may be the exception. But Robert Connolly's Blueback, follows Gregor Jordan's 2020 adaption of Dirt Music, in being a terrific film to look at, whilst simultaneously lacking dramatic heft. And this is despite Winton himself being given a co - screenwriting credit along with director Connolly, whose last film, The Dry, I loved.

The cinematography both above and under the water is exceptional. The acting is competent without anyone particularly standing out. Ostensible lead Mia Wasikowska as the adult Abby Jackson is rarely ever challenged to get out of first gear, as is Eric Bana, in very much a support role as Mad Macka. Radha Mitchell perhaps contributes most obviously in her energetic portrayal of activist mum of Abby, Dora, in her younger years. I personally found the largely classically - inspired musical soundtrack too reminiscent of countless mid twentieth century Disney wildlife documentaries. But the big weakness was rather ironically perhaps considering the screenwriters, the storyline. With just a few exceptions, this is a film in which not a great deal happens during its 100 minute running time, despite constant time shifts and flash backs.

Whereas the mother / daughter* relationship is way overplayed (*In the book Abby is Able ... a boy.) Erik Thomson's "villain" Costello, is so lightly treated and gets so little screen time, we never fully understand the enmity between the Jacksons and him. BTW Abby only seems to have been made female in order to experience an interracial teenage romance, which again, doesn't seem to go anywhere in terms of the general narrative. It just serves as filler content, which didn't appear in the literary source.

It's only fair to add that the film, despite the changes mentioned, does stick very closely to its source material's welcome environmental and domestic relationship themes. Thankfully too, it does manage to coalesce into a genuinely moving climax. It's just that Blueback's storyline unwinds at such a languid pace, there are precious few thrills and unexpected excitements in getting there.

Blueback is a frequently charming and completely inoffensive and wholesome family film. (I have no idea why its Australian Classification is M - mature audiences.) But for this punter, its lack of a genuinely engaging screenplay, made for an overall underwhelming cinematic experience.