Oyster Farmer

I hope Anna Reevs, the director as well as the writer, takes justified pride in this amazingly wonderful first effort. Because of its class I was surprised to see that it was her debut film-how many others would dream of writing and directing such a superb first effort.

I saw this film several days ago in Fremantle and although I had heard from electronic media outlets that it was a very good film, I had no idea, other than the obvious title what I was going to see. The beauty of the Hawksbury was breathtaking and the juxtaposition of that beauty with the basic everyday existence of the oyster farmers presented a compelling contradiction throughout the film.

Maybe it's the technical strides that have taken place during the recent past but I am swallowed by the beauty of the cinematography; I am sure Bollinger whose camera work captured every nuance of the natural beauty of this region would tell me that it was his and Reeves' direction that captured the setting and that it had nothing to do with improvements in equipment. Be that as it may, the camera images were beautiful.

The actors were on the whole unknown to me but the work they did made a life unknown to me real and more importantly, eminently worth watching. An absolute gem of a movie not to be missed.

There was a certain degree of anticipation for this movie for me, since I live in the area where most of the movie is set. And after being part of the experience - drinking at the pub with some of the stars, and watching the film crew in action, it certainly didn't disappoint!!

It's not every day that you watch a movie on the big screen set in your own suburb, recognize the faces of locals who have bit parts, and feel a great sense of pride in the beautiful scenery that you have come to know so well... it's a bit surreal....

I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed the movie quite so much if it wasn't set in my home town, but nevertheless, the story was pleasant enough, the characters were likable... some may find it a little slow and tame, and the plot was a little disjointed, with not a great deal of drama or suspense or even character development.

The general consensus of my neighbours who have seen the film is that the true star of the movie was the Hawkesbury River.

Saw this movie over the weekend in New York at the Quad Cinema.

One if the best movies to come out of Australia, period. I highly recommend seeing this film. Visually stunning, without being overwhelming, or detracting from the storyline. With the gorgeous Hawkesbury River as her backdrop, Reeves weaves characters vividly to life with the pithy little concerns and subtleties that are so crucial in a movie so delicate. The script is tight and beautifully executed. Compared to other feature directorial debuts this is an incredible piece. As a stand alone work, I think this movie will be looked back on as the beginning of an Australian legacy. Bravo. I hope to see much more from this very talented director.

A great Australian romantic comedy about life and love on the Hawksbury River. The scenes in this film are all very beautiful and captivating, with mention of popular tourist destinations such as Gosford.

New to the big screen, actor Alex O'Lachlan shines as the clumsy thief with the unfortunate name, Jack Flange who robs the local fish markets in order to pay for his sisters hospital bills after a car accident. Jack then posts the money to himself but it suspiciously never arrives and he begins to suspect everyone around him of taking it.

Jack Thompson makes an appearance and Dianna Glenn is charming as the lovable Pearl.

If you like Australian films, you'll love The Oyster Farmer.

Oyster Farmer is a very enjoyable romantic comedy, one of the best I've seen for a while.

Why is it so good? The plot is entertaining, well thought out and moves at a rapid pace - I didn't detect any real lulls. The characters are what you'd expect of a working class rural Australian community - warts and all. I didn't recognise any of the actors from other films but I think they did a great job of getting the viewer into the story. In addition I laughed out loud a number of times - not something that happens too often!!

I really enjoyed the aerial shots of the Hawkesbury River, very relaxing and reminding me of a holiday I once spent in the region.

Overall Oyster Farmer is a real gem.