jldowsing

Any Nic Cage film I approach with intrepidation - for every Wild at Heart there's a Con Air disaster.

I actually gave up on this one after an hour, the music was naff, everything about it clunky and Nic Cage's central character bloody annoying. Imagine Michael Douglas in Falling Down but with no brains, balls or common sense.

Then by coincidence 20 minutes later I came across the sad news Julian McMahon had died way too soon at 56. Being maybe his last role I picked up the very loose thread and stuck it out. Yeah, it could have been so much better and your suspension of disbelief is stretched, but it's sort-of watchable.

As most reviewers have covered, this is a heartbreakingly tragic episode which refers to the cynical, manipulative marketing practices of subscription based services determined to extract blood out of the stone of ordinary folk.

The added layer to me was allusions to big pharma and government policies around essential medication and the monetisation of life. And ultimately, what lengths can people's dignity and energy reserves be pushed before it's no longer worth the struggle.

This tremendously executed hour of TV in all respects will linger in my mind. For that it warrants a 9. But it's also just about the most depressing thing I've ever seen, so be prepared.

The threat to footballers of various codes posed by head trauma, and more specifically CTE, has been granted a dramatic treatment before - most famously by Will Smith's Concussion. This local Australian production tackles the topic with a gritty realism, delving into the many impacts felt by a former rugby league legend, his extended family and friends.

Brendon Cowell, in addition to writing the novel on which this 6-part series is based, plays the central character Plum in typically outstanding fashion. Clearly, years in the industry have informed Cowell's choices to surround himself with the quality players required, on and off screen, to deliver a passion project (set in his home town Cronulla) so incredibly well.

Plum covers a lot of ground, a versatile drama that also touches on family dynamics, addiction, father-son relationships, friendship (male and female) and media sensationalism. It's uniquely Australian in its setting and characters, yet avoids cringe or cliche elements. The only minor quibble is a couple instances where key characters are frustratingly incapable of providing a simple explanation to defend their actions, thus causing avoidable fallout.

Whilst Plum's descent and battle to find redemption are harrowing, moments of dry humour (including an odd yet endearingly quirky turn by Jermaine Clement), provide relief. Most notably, Cowell's playwright sensibilities come to the fore in a final act that must rank as one of the most riveting episodes of any TV series here or abroad.

One might expect Plum to add a few more awards to the trophy cabinet. And if you like Cowell's work in Plum I highly recommend seeking out the 2007 movie Noise.