Yes, at first sight this might seem like an usual movie. But that's only a good thing in this case and also seems to be the entire point of it. It holds up a mirror to today's (or 1993's) society.
No, this movie is not typical Hollywood stuff. It's an Australian production, that takes a more sort of European cinematic approach, with its storytelling and also minimalism. Guess this movie is considered to be an art-house film but that is only because it doesn't really fit in mainstream cinema's. Saying something is art-house doesn't necessarily mean it's also artsy fartsy. As a matter of fact, most of the time the movies are perfectly accessible ones but there isn't really a mainstream crowd for them, which is the foremost reason why movies like this end up in art-houses and on DVD's, hidden somewhere back into an obscure section.
This is a very dark comedy, that through its comedy could had be a sort of cute movie but instead the movie decides to be very dark and dirty. It's a movie that is literally filled with shocking themes such as incest, killings, crime and rape. All no laughing matter you would say but it gets seen all through the eyes of an adult person who has never been into the outside world. He's of course naive and totally oblivious to everything that is good or right but that is really what the movie tries to say with it. Because the entire movie gets told from the eyes of a person who has entered the big evil world for the first time, we get to see how rotten society itself is, when for instance also people try to abuse- and take advantage of Bubby's naivety.
It all does so but not really necessarily following a main story. Bubby is just roaming around, visiting places and meeting new people all the time. It suits the overall style and atmosphere of the movie that everything seems to happen by pure chance and at random. It makes it sound like this is a fragmentary movie but it in fact really is not. It at all times feels like one whole because the movie simply stays purely focused on its main character.
I also love the transitions the movie goes trough. At times its being an extremely dark and depressing movie but at others it also manages to be an hopeful and even funny one. You'll laugh at some of the movie its dark themes and moments and some of Bubby's his backward antics. It's such a rich filled movie, with basically every emotion in it. Don't feel ashamed to laugh at a rape sequence or a murder, this is actually what the movie wanted you to do. It wants you to see how crazy the world can get at times, seen all through the eyes of an oblivious and crazy person. Due to this approach it also becomes a real provoking movie.
It really is the ultimate Nicholas Hope role and I have yet to see something by him that tops it. He simply suits the role very well, not only just with his acting but also with his looks. He's a dirty and potentially very dangerous guy but yet you start to really love him and hope he ends up well.
Now I'm interested in seeing more Rolf de Heer movies.
8/10
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