Tough one

Our rating:

Score another hit for Aussie genre filmmaking. After years of tinkering around the edges of a distinctive national cinema, Australian filmmakers are now (I think) realising that we can make genre pictures here that are the equal of anything the rest of the world can produce – and that includes Hollywood. In the wake of recent successes like The Proposition comes Morgan O’Neill’s excellent Oz noir, Solo.

You may have heard of O’Neill because he won the Project Greenlight Australia competition (shown as a reality series on pay TV). Solo represents the fruits of that win.

Displaying a real passion for his subject-matter and his characters, O’Neill has crafted a contemplative, gritty and often surprising crime drama. Unlike recent Aussie crime flicks like Two Hands or Gettin’ Square, he eschews quirky humour, opting instead for a straight-up approach to his material. That works wonders for the film, with its raw honesty shining through the sometimes grim material. That’s not to say there isn’t humour here, but it’s rather reserved and very black.

Solo starts with a classic crime scenario – the crim who wants to get out. In this case, that crim is Barrett (Colin Friels), an aging hitman who comes to realise there’s more to life than disposing of corpses. Barrett is the muscle for a group of “businessmen” known as The Gentlemen, whose tentacles spread throughout the Sydney underworld. When he confides his plan to one of the Gentlemen, Reno (Linal Haft), it doesn’t go down too well. Meanwhile, Barrett is approached by fresh-faced university student Billie (Bojana Novakovic) to help her with her thesis on crime in the city. Barrett is rather flattered by this attention, but is acutely aware that the young woman may be getting in over her head. Then his worst fears are realised when The Gentlemen issue him an ultimatum – he can get out; but only if he disposes of Billie.

O’Neill adopts a kind of neo-noir feel to the film, not fully diving into the expressionism of classic noir, but rather keeping things more contemporary. He however adds considerable colour with an original jazz score that does echo some of the seminal noir films of the ‘40s and ‘50s.

The real strength of this film though is in its script (also penned by O’Neill). It stays true to the genre, while making sure we’re involved with the characters and their struggles. What’s perhaps a little surprising about the film is the depth of some of the more minor characters, notably Barrett’s sometime squeeze Kate (Angie Milliken). Oh, and it packs a real sting in the tail with a shock ending to rival the best of them.

Colin Friels is excellent as the world-weary Barrett. He fits the mould of the noir hero (or perhaps anti-hero) like a glove, from his lined face to his raspy voice. But more than just looking the part, he makes us believe in Barrett; even though he’s the kind of character you wouldn’t want showing up on your doorstep. Bojana Novakovic, perhaps better known for her work on stage, impresses as the naïve and rather fragile Billie. The minor characters add depth to the piece, with Linal Haft, Bruce Spence, Angie Milliken and Vince Colosimo providing some memorable moments.

Solo is another solid contender in a year when Australian film seems to be once more flourishing. That we can make a film like The Caterpillar Wish alongside this hard-bitten drama is a tribute to the diversity and strength of local filmmaking. This film, with its jagged edges and femmes fatales, is the perfect antidote to the saccharine pap Hollywood regularly serves up.

David Edwards

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Solo

Director: Morgan O'Neill
Cast: Colin Friels, Linal Haft, Bojana Novakovic, Vince ColossimoNames
Release: Nationally on July 6, 2006
Rated: M

Read our interview with
Morgan O'Neill here