Safe Harbour

Great premise, great cast, and very well done. Moves at glacial speed. The "lesson" could be imparted in about 2 episodes. I really don't care if two people had an affair, if the teenage couple texted back and forth, etc. These vignettes just make the series longer and actually detract from the "lesson" the film seeks to impart.

We don't get to see to many Australian dramas in the UK the ones I have seen have been somewhat mixed. But I did enjoy screen Australia's Safe Harbour. Four parts long it tells the story of a group of friends on a sailing trip who come across a group of stranded boat refugees trying to make there way for a better life in Australia.

Taking away the plot holes and implausibility of the story it does at least ask the question what would you do in the same circumstances? They decide to tow the ship to Australia. What follows is how the lives of the people on both boats have been affected 5 years later by the actions of one person.

The subject of refugees a relevant one in all westernised countries right now, and whatever your thoughts on Safe Harbour as a one off drama are, it does at least raise the question what would happen if the decision is left to members of the public as opposed to governments.

The best thing about this dud of an Australian mini series is the acting. But how the actors got through this ridiculous script is a mystery. Implausible from start to finish - what boat is unable to send a distress call these days? Mind numbingly politically correct and yet lacking any sympathetic characters or authenticity this 'thriller' fails to thrill on any level.

I have now watched all 3 episodes and it is getting worse every week. I think the acting is mediocre, special effects and music over the top.

Of course the Australian critics will rave about it as that is what they do, but it does not measure up to some of the BBC thrillers. They have good story telling, drama without excess and believable actors.

As usual Screen Australia have supported a product that should have been rejected, good story, terrible production. Music, acting , lighting, special effects all badly executed.

This mini series is a beautifully made reminder of human power of forgiveness and developing self-consistency. It delivers a very important message: focus on what you have and not on the past and what you've lost. Moving on isn't easy after traumatic incidents like the ones depicted in this series, but once you face the facts and settle things up in your head you'll be able to move forward. Grudge only deepens your hurt feelings and makes daily life harder.

What bothered me as an Arabic native speaker is the actors speaking Arabic in this show, they kinda strive hard to speak the language; I wish they had only spoken English since many scenes in Arabic sounded a bit inauthentic, especially when it's very obvious that each one speaks different accent despite being one family that all of its members came from the same place, Iraq.

7.0/10