Little Fish is a thriller peopled with characters living in Little Saigon, a Vietnamese (and underclass) area of Sydney. Tracy (Cate Blanchett), a recovering drug addict, is trying to turn her life around and buy her own business. However, the past continues to haunt her, and when her ex-lover returns from Canada, it transpires he was responsible for the car accident in which her brother lost a leg. The story and the relationships unfold to reveal the interwoven plot. The characters cope “with the challenges of life in a new, puzzling, multiracial Australia, less certain of its identity”, Philip French, The Observer. (Cert 15)
Dir: Rowan Woods 109 mins Australia 2005
Programme Notes
LITTLE FISH
Australia 2005 109 minutes Cert. 15
Little Fish is a thriller peopled with characters living in Little Saigon, a Vietnamese area of Sydney. Tracy (Cate Blanchett) is a recovering drug addict trying to turn her life around and buy her own business. Her history and credit profile means the banks will not give her a loan so she must look elsewhere. However, the past continues to haunt her, and when her ex-lover returns from Canada, it transpires he was responsible for the car accident in which her brother lost a leg. The story and the relationships unfold to reveal the interwoven plot set over just seven days. Writer Jacquelin Perske has produced a challenging script, building images which we interpret in our conventional manner only to find that all is not as it seems at first sight. Instance the first time we see Tracy and Lionel (Hugo Weaving) together. In fact, everyone seems to be hiding something. But what? The story is complemented by Nathan Larson’s haunting soundtrack.
Tracy – Cate Blanchett
Brad (The Jockey) – Sam Neill
Lionel – Hugo Weaving
Ray – Martin Henderson
Janelle – Noni Hazelhurst
Jonny – Dustin Nguyen
Director – Rowan Woods
Screenplay – Jacquelin Perske
Cinematography – Danny Ruhlmann
Original Music – Nathan Larson
Producers – Richard Keddie, Vincent Sheehan, Liz Watts
“[Rowan Wood’s] characters here are … coping with the challenges of life in a new, puzzling, multiracial Australia, less certain of its identity”, Philip French, The Observer.
“Somber [sic] but beautifully played, Little Fish handles drug addiction in a manner unthinkable in mainstream films” Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International.
“Blanchett is superb as Tracy, a recognisable and believable character attempting to put her past behind her”, Matthew Turner, ViewLondon.
Comments
CARGOES (short)
“Fascinating piece of history”
“Excellent pre-containerisation stuff”
“Gently nostalgic. What a large Royal Navy!”
“Interesting, if only to see the size of the Royal Navy.”
“Interesting and more informative than patronising, this time.”
“Captured the feeling of the time.”
“What terrific music!”
“An informative documentary about the role of the Merchant Navy during that era of importing goods in the war years.”
“Difficult to judge when seen out of its time.”
“Health & Safety would have cut this even shorter.”
“What was the message?”
LITTLE FISH (feature)
“Life-like, real. Whew!”
“Intense, convoluted, gripping – terrific suspense but at least it had a happy ending.”
“An extra-ordinary crime drama, with excellent performances from Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett.”
“Disturbing and probably all too true!”
“Some great acting”
“Powerful stuff; great acting. Could have done with some (more) subtitles, though.”
“Enjoyable but tremendously difficult to figure out the relationships between the main characters.”
“Halfway through, I was thinking I didn’t want to bother but it did eventually unfold.”
“Great script and acting but not an enjoyable film. I could not imagine a life like that.”
“A little hard to follow and not exactly in the Queen’s English!”
“Happy Families on speed! Not really my idea of a good film. I’m off to the pub!”
“Could not relate to any of the characters but had a really good sleep.”
“Not enough kangaroos! Asleep most of the time.”
“I preferred the synopsis.”
“This was supposed to be a thriller but it was awful and boring. I couldn’t wait for it to end. There was more happening in past episodes of Neighbours!”
“Didn’t understand it at all.”
“Incomprehensible and depressing”
“Much of it barely comprehensible and to what purpose? Too many close-ups of faces.”
“Too slow but intricate”
“How unedifying can a film be? This was almost unbearable. What lives – the dead one was lucky!”
“Dreary! Gap funding by RBS – so that’s where our taxes went!”
“What the Hell was that about? Who said the Aussies lacked culture? Whoever it was, they were right !!”