THE TRAVELLERS Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Bruce Beresford
Stars: Bryan Brown, Luke Bracey, Susie Porter, Nicholas Hammond, Shrubshri Kandiah, Celia Massingham Ryan Graeme Allen, Declan Brown, Alison McGirr, Christine Jeffery, Greg McNeill, Oliver Wenn.
The story of the prodigal son returning home is a familiar one, and so the new Australian drama The Travellers holds few surprises.
Stephen Seary (Luke Bracey, recently seen in the tense thriller Mercy Road) was raised in a small town in Western Australia, but now lives abroad. Based in Europe he is an acclaimed stage designer for stage productions and opera. He is working on a production of the opera La Traviata in Germany when he is called home to see his dying mother Enid (Christine Jeffery) in hospital. Stephen finds that his father Fred (veteran actor Bryan Brown) is struggling to cope by himself. The house is crammed with old newspapers, the kitchen sink is full of unwashed dishes, the front porch is covered in leaves, and burnt out light bulbs haven’t been replaced. Together with his sister Nikki (Susie Porter) Stephen has to decide what is the best option for Fred moving forward.
But Stephen finds himself pulled in several directions during his brief return to his hometown. He is keen to return to Europe to finish his work on the opera. He is also approached by a Sydney based entrepreneur (Nicholas Hammond, from the classic The Sound Of Music, etc) who offers him a chance to direct his own productions at the Opera House. The two brothers who bullied him at school approach him to help them promote their wine label at gala opening night functions. But it is clear that Stephen is somewhat detached from the pace of life in his small and somewhat insular home town.
Director Bruce Beresford wrote the screenplay for his latest film during the COVID lockdowns, and it is clear that the film has some deep personal resonance as he, like Stephen, has enjoyed success overseas. The Travellers deals with themes of family, mortality, ageing, art and culture, fame, identity, but it also explores the idea that travelling broadens the mind and provides new and exciting opportunities for personal growth. While Stephen has found fame overseas, Fred used to be a travelling wine salesman who travelled all over the state.
Beresford’s direction is leisurely and unhurried, and the film does have its moments of humour and insight. It seems a little old fashioned in style. Beresford also infuses the material with a strong sentimental streak. The staging of the central opera towards the end of the film is good and draws upon Beresford’s own experience of staging opera. However, I found it hard to believe that a pub full of bogans in small town WA would stare transfixed at a tv screen showing an opera production.
The Travellers reunites Beresford with Brown, who starred in his classic film Breaker Morant forty years earlier. Brown has a suitably laconic style that suits his gruff, curmudgeonly and quirky character and he exudes a certain charm. Porter brings a down to earth honesty to her performance although she is given little to do with what remains a fairly passive role. Bracey is good and his performance is more restrained, but his character comes across as smug and is also less sympathetic. But the chemistry between the three stars works and makes their dynamic seem believable and natural.
The film looks great as it has been nicely shot by Beresford’s regular cinematographer Peter James, who captures the charm of the small town setting.
★★★
