What a beautiful, poignant, and sad movie this is. I'm not really one to watch PG or G movies. I watched this back in 87, and re watched it in 2008, only to see an actress, who's a notorious casting agent in Adelaide, this being one of the first films she cast. When seeing how Jetty Rd, looked back in the day, it's a trifle bit sad and depressing. About every location in this film, I pinpointed straight away, including the father and son, roughing it out or tenting it out with their shaggy new friend, Roger, at Chain of ponds. John Meilion, a single father gives a fantastic and impressively realistic performance, overacted in no way, as a heroic father defying the odds, having just learn't, his twelve year old son is dying of leukemia, every father's nightmare. He goes to a few doctors, one with a more hopeful outlook, where in the end, illness will sadly triumph. Robert Bettles as the son is terrific, a child actor who did a very stupid thing, giving up this gig. He was so professional, and never overacted. The other actors are fantastic, the casting agent who shall remain nameless, with a thirty second shot as a rent a car chick, basically takes the p..s out of herself or hams it up, if you ever meet the actress/agent I'm referring to. Even Roger the dog, doesn't slack. The son asks for three wishes, which stout hearted Meilion, who will do anything for his son, grants him. You're never guess the last one, but what is the kid's fourth wish. We pretty much know. Robyn Nevin as the ex wife looked quite hot in the day. The great thing I loved about the film that doesn't end like you think it will- on a sad note, is that Meilion never tells the son, what's to come, that one day soon, he won't be around. And the kid will never question his fate, a mutual acceptance, something I really liked about this film, but I really liked this film in general. Watch it, if just for sighting out Adelaide locations, the festival theatre night shots are awesome. A truly wonderful film that will pull at a few heartstrings.
