STREAMLINE, Australia, 2021. Starring Levi Miller, Laura Gordon, Jason Isaacs, Jake Ryan, Tasia Zalar, Robert Morgan, Hunter Page-Lochard, Steve Bass Tony, Sam Parsonson, Isaac Drandic. Directed by Tyson Wade Johnston. 86 minutes. Rated MA (Strong coarse language)
Set in Queensland, this is a strong drama about a young swimmer, 15 turning 16, with Olympic talent and possibilities. But, there is his family and the burdens he is carrying from the past. A Queensland setting.
For the first 15 minutes, the focus is on swimming and training – close-up, intense, coach demanding, shouting. The exercises, the massage, the strict regimen, up early hours, his mother driving him to the pool, watching, careful, discipline. If an audience wanted to know what it is like to be a contender for competition swimming and the demands that it makes, this 15 minutes demonstrates it powerfully.
This is also the story of a boy growing up in a dysfunctional family. The boy, Ben (Miller), has tormenting memories, nightmares, his father attempting to drown him in the bath, his older half-brothers. No wonder he does not smile, generally a stoic expressionless face. He goes to school, has a strong friendship with Patti (Zalar), fellow-student, daughter of his teacher (who is heard giving a class on Jung, the conscious, repression and suppression, the unconscious). He lives with his mother who is always supportive.
The point about athletes and competitiveness is that they need to want to be a champion. If not, stop, pull out. And, to the dismay of his mother, the coach, and Patti, he does. And not only does he pull out, he packs his bags, his mother upset and badmouthing him, going off to live with his brothers who work in the mill, a reckless life of drinking and fights. The key element is that his father has been released from jail. And it is clear, whatever the repression, whatever the bitterness towards his father, Ben needs a father presence in his life. Classification says, ‘strong coarse language’. That’s right.
The film has a comparatively brief running time and packs a lot into this picture of the dysfunctional family into violent episodes, including the sons confronting their released father, whom they despise, at the diner where he works in the kitchen. But, there is some hope in the screenplay, Patti being always a strong challenging presence to Ben, his mother trying to make amends, and a powerful scene in a frank confrontation with his father.
We know in our hearts that Ben will return to the pool but we need to see how he gets back, why he gets back, the consequences for him. With those powerful 15 minutes at the opening of the film, there is no need for us to go through the rigorous training again, but just to see where his talent might lead him. We hope.
The film is well written, well directed, a first-time film from Tyson Wade Johnston. We hope that this is the beginning of a strong film career. Miller, already a film star with such films as Pan, Better Watch Out, Red Dog: True Blue, Jasper Jones, creates a challengingly enigmatic character in Ben. Laura Gordon is his mother, and Jason Isaacs quite compelling as his father. There is a gallery of well-written supporting characters with persuasive performances.
Olympic gold-metal swimming champion, Ian Thorpe, serves as an executive producer and spent time with Levi Miller coaching him in the finer points of swimming performance.
Umbrella Films
Released 6 September