The New Boy

Set against a backdrop of a strongly colonial and white Australia, we are rather violently introduced to a young, blonde, Aboriginal lad (Aswan Reid) who is conked out by a boomerang and awakens to find himself in the care of "Sister Eileen" (Cate Blanchett) and "Sister Mum" (Deborah Mailman) at a remote orphanage. She is pretty devout and he is very much in tune with nature - both people of faith, but not the same kind. The arrival of a large wooden crucifix to top their altar seems to focus both of them on what now becomes a rather dry and simplistic tale of spirituality. Reid does come across well. There is a spontaneity and naturalness to his performance, but Blanchett over-eggs just about all of the rest of it. She does this type of role well - shorn hair, manic eyes, slightly eccentric characterisation - but here there's just not enough story for her (or us) to get the teeth into. I got the sense that there was something almost "Oliver Twist" about the lad. Blonde? Sent away? Did he have a secret identity? That's not the story, though - and when he suffers his own rather personal misfortune at the end, I felt a rather overwhelming dislike of "Eileen" and her superstition-ridden church. Too be fair, this isn't a film that doesn't provoke a response - but with sparse dialogue and little character development, it's not really much more than a beautifully photographed vehicle for Blanchett to indulge herself and for Reid to be a boy facing a confusing future.

Overall, a beautifully photographed film amongst the beautiful landscapes and county of Australia. OK acting by the main cast and a beautiful soundtrack to accompany it. The sound design is terrific as well as the production and costume design and that's where the beauty stops. The films narrative is convoluted and not clear and is left to major interpretation which in storytelling means it's a weak premise with no real strong intention. It dances around the ideas of faith and indigenous culture, but it's never fully fleshed out, disappointed coming from a first nations director. There was definitely potential there in a conceived spiritual essence of an idea which was left underdeveloped and a missed opportunity to mix faith and spirituality. The imdb synopsis stated that it's about a renegade nun (Cate Blanchette) but that doesn't really describe the character. The film is easy to watch, pacing is better than most Aussie films, but it just needed so much more, Aussie films have this real problem in being able to do the simplest of things - Tell a good yarn on screen. Why is that? We get this idea that we must continue to tell first nation stories BUT we cannot find a new angle or a GREAT story to tell, this story is mediocre at best and Cate Blanchette can't save this. Doesn't matter how many AACTA or award nominations this film gets - your larger GENERAL audience can see through the pretentious arty-fartyness of underdeveloped narrative storytelling and by attaching known actors - it tries to sell you that this a film worthy of accolades. Films are political now, not made or judged by their merit but by the politics of the government agencies and the people who have power to get them made.

The film s well-made and it shows from the decent budget it was made with - but that deserves no accolade - tell a story and move me, make me feel emotion - I felt nothing watching this - disappointing because the hype didn't watch the viewing experience.

Australian director Warwick Thornton is known for his works on Sweet Country and Samson and Delilah as Thornton has proven himself on being a good filmmaker on Australian cinema. I'm going to be honest, I really love the first hour of this movie but unfortunately, despite good intentions and gorgeous camerawork, the film weakens with it's convoluted themes and weak narrative.

Throughout, the camerawork is absolutely gorgeous alongside with the soundtrack from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis which provided a good atmosphere of the Australian landscapes. Every single shot and sound design felt real and added a great atmopshere for the movies tone and setting. The performances from the cast members are pretty good especially Aswan Reid as his performance was strong and held up throughout the film.

Narrative wise, the narrative explores interesting themes and concepts and while it's clear what intentions the narrative is going for, it unfortunately does hold strong. Mainly because the narrative explores themes that don't feel fully developed and it felt the concepts were sometimes going all over the place. The dialogue from the characters were okay and the characters, while offer some interesting aspects about them, they weren't able to feel fully connectable. I understand what the characters intentions and what Thornton is trying to explore but the issue is that it feels undeveloped. The production designs is beautiful. The pacing could use some improvements.

As mentioned, the first hour was really strong with some interesting themes and ideas explored within the character and setting. But the rest half begins to feel lost and at times tedious with it's uneven pacing and style. Overall, despite these flaws, I still found the film to be ambitious for the most part. Good intentions that just needs some more work.

If you're looking for a film that will transport you to a different time and place, challenge your assumptions, and touch your emotions, look no further than "The New Boy". This Australian drama, written and directed by Warwick Thornton, is a stunning cinematic achievement exploring colonialism, religion, identity, and resilience.

The film is set in 1940s Australia, where a nine-year-old Aboriginal orphan boy (Aswan Reid) is taken in at a remote monastery run by a renegade nun (Cate Blanchett). His arrival disturbs the delicate balance of the place, where other Aboriginal children are taught to assimilate into the white culture and forget their roots. The boy, who has no name, is mute and mysterious and seems to have supernatural abilities that attract curiosity and fear. He forms a bond with Sister Eileen, who sees something special in him and tries to protect him from the world's harsh realities.

The cinematography by Thornton is breathtaking, capturing the beauty and harshness of the Australian landscape. The film uses natural light and minimal dialogue to create a realistic and immersive atmosphere. The score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is haunting and evocative, enhancing the mood and tension.

The performances are also outstanding, especially by the young Aswan Reid, who conveys so much emotion and depth with his eyes and gestures. He is a revelation, and his chemistry with Cate Blanchett is palpable. Blanchett delivers another masterful performance as Sister Eileen, a complex and conflicted character struggling with her faith, duty, and compassion. Deborah Mailman and Wayne Blair are also excellent as the other nuns with different views on dealing with the boy.

The New Boy is not a conventional or easy film to watch. It's slow-paced, subtle, and ambiguous. It doesn't shy away from the brutality and injustice of the colonial system, nor does it offer easy answers or resolutions. It challenged me to think and feel, to question and empathise.

"The New Boy" is a powerful and poetic film. It has stayed with me since seeing it. Check it out if you want to see something different, profound, and thought-provoking.

It's 1940's in the Australian outback. An Aboriginal boy is captured by the police and sent to an orphanage run by Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett). Everybody is hiding the fact that the priest who is supposed to be running the place, is in fact dead.

The movie is definitely trying to do something interesting. I applaud the attempt. I don't know if it's actually a good movie. It starts with a bang and then it becomes a murky flight of spirituality and identity. I like the kid and one can't do much better than Cate Blanchett. It's worth a try to see this once if you can stay with it all the way to the end. I won't be seeing it again.