Blackrock

The subject matter is completely galling, that of a mass rape and subsequent murder of a teenage girl. This movie's strength however should not be underestimated. It doesn't really attempt to moralise or provide answers, it simply examines the interactions of the teenagers affected by the tragedy. Great acting from a young cast, I have to disagree with dita-3 suggesting that the characters don't develop. The main problem that today's youth faces worldwide is the fact that they are increasingly apathetic and lack true ambition. This movie sets out to make you think, and is overlaid with a churning grungey soundtrack throbbing it's way through. A lovely poignant moment with the Cranberries "No Need To Argue" playing, but the film never dips into sentimentality. Hollywood would have liked to pour a healthy dose of treacle over the ending, thank goodness they never had the chance to do so. I cannot recommended this film highly enough

Blackrock should go down as one of the best Aussie films around. I remember when it came out in 97' n' i thought it was the coolest movie, n' disturbing . I saw the play in High school at the Bogga Road Jail in 98'too.

The acting is great from all the cast, especially Simon Lyndon, one of his best performances and the filming is shot so well. I listen to the soundtrack all the time, its awesome. Songs from The Cruel Sea, Sidewinder, Rebeca's Empire, Beast of Burben and The Cranberry's, they set the time and place.

This film would get pretty disturbing for some viewer's but stuff like this does happen. But i think it's a great film, go check it out!! David Field has a small roll in this but brilliant acting, if your an Aussie n' you have'nt seen it, GET IT NOW!!! 9/10

As a lover of Aussie films ( and being one myself ) I found this to be entertaining and not a little disturbing.

On the flip side though, I've got to say I really am not a Lawrence Breuls fan. He's got no screen presence whatsoever and is pretty much the low point throughout the movie.

Good to see David Field, Leeanna Walsman. Rebecca Smart snd Simon Lyndon doing justice to their roles.

Linda Cropper plays a good role as Jared's mum. I'm wondering if Jared's interest in Ricko was totally best buddy or if he had the old pillow biting urge. Whatever. He's just a gutless knob.

On the topic of what would I do if I witnessed a gang rape of a friend, would I do anything to stop it?

You bet I would, and I wouldn't be giving no murderer a send off on a surf board.

Director Steven Vidler's film of the Nick Enright play is emotionally weightless. Vidler seems so concerned to make it relevant to the teen generation it's about that he has made what reads as an extended music video complete with a loud soundtrack, an abundance of surfing footage, orange tinting and shorthand editing. It's shocking to see the indifference he applies to the character of the girl who is raped and murdered though this superficiality extends to all the characters.

The material originated as Property of the Clan for the stage but Enright reworked it for a larger theater company, doubling the cast and I feel losing the purity of his intention. This re-drafting is exemplified by creating a cancer crisis which really has no impact on the base story.

Enright's comment on male aggression which is meant to explain the violence is echoed in the protagonist Jared (Laurence Breals) delivering a climactic speech about `mates is all you got' though it rings false when he is shown to have an interest in photography and a girlfriend.

The actors have little to work with and Vidler winds them up to a level of hysteria so that the strine accents and performances by Simon Lyndon, Chris Haywood and David Field are simply ludicrous. Breals performance is all about his hair and Linda Cropper as his mother is stranded. Vidler thankfully deprives us of footage of the murder but repeats flashbacks of the rape as Jared's conscience, though his long range witnessing becomes closeup memory.

What would you do if you witnessed some of your friends committing a terrible crime? What would you do if you saw a friend of yours being gang raped? Would you have sat there and watched?. Horrified but able to do nothing. Or would you have helped? This is the dilemma faced by Jared played by Laurence Breuls. This gritty Australian drama explores not only Jared's reactions and feelings about this crime but all of the victim's friends feelings as well. Jared is shattered by the fact that he did not help his friend Leigh when she needed him and even more horrified to find out that his best mate Ricko finished off the job - raping Leigh yet again and then killing her. This movie details how each friend came to grips with this tragic but too often everyday crime.