chinch_g

This film had me spellbound from start to finish. It puzzles me to see quite a few negative reviews of it here, bemoaning the fact that it is "sad" and "melancholic". Yes, it certainly is, but what did people expect - doesn't the title 'Nostalgia' make that clear from the very beginning? And in my world, there is nothing wrong with sad and melancholic; it comprises half, if not more, or human experience.

I did actually like the episodic structure of the film, each story gently leading into the next; all of them connected, in one way or another, by the experience of loss. The performances of all the main characters are more than outstanding; each character conveying convincingly such deep, emotional truths that, at times, I felt almost uneasy being given such powerful glimpses into what felt like other people's real lives.

It will linger in my mind and heart for a long time.

How does a country deal with its abusive past? A powerful and hard-hitting drama, kind of a Western, Aussie style. The build-up to a murder, a man-hunt, the aftermath and much, much prejudice and racism from most of the 'whitefellas' towards their 'black stock', the Aborigines. Some very authentic, rough performances. Made eminently watchable by the extraordinary cinematography, taking us from small scale, symbolic detail to fantastic outback landscapes, every scene amazingly lit and composed, creating a counterpoint to the tough story. I would love to watch this again on a big screen. Stunning!

The mostly negative reviews for this series just go to show that we are all very different: I absolutely loved this and I am only disappointed that there doesn't seem to be a second season. If you expect something with lots of violence, car chases and guns, then this won't be for you. I mean, how many 'crime' series are there where only one shot in total is fired - and that is in the last episode and only goes through a window? And yet I was absolutely glued to it. It's not perfect and there are one or two cringe moments, but for me, the characters, 'ordinary' as they are, but struggling with extraordinary situations, were totally believable and beautifully drawn. Clearly not written for the big screen but television; in my opinion, this is actually one of its strengths. I was left with wanting more. In all, a wonderful series, showing how flawed, complex and human we all are.