Although slow to start I found I became increasingly involved in the story (young girl finding out what's appropriate in life and love) as the characters lives unfolded. By the end I was totally hooked. There might have been an attempt to show too many facets of the Australian character in this movie, but, in the end I didn't mind because the characterizations were so good. Rare to find in any movie. Was also nice to enjoy some good acting from unknown faces and excellent cinematography - the film had a great look - pale blue/white and red, and good editing. Don't be put off by the negative comments in other reviews, I know I shouldn't say this, but I think they've missed the point :)
68 Reviews
Alice in a Bleak Wonderland
nycritic3 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
The girl who wanted touch, affection, and love. Heidi, a teenage girl living with her mother, touches her mother's boyfriend's tattoo and finds herself sharing a moment of sexual intimacy. Why would she leave the door open in what seems a small apartment leads me to believe she wanted to get caught at a subconscious level, because of a need she has to be noticed. This is a girl with major issues, stemming perhaps from abandonment -- her biological father is never mentioned nor seen -- and who has a magnetism of presence and a preternatural sensuality that she uses without knowing the repercussions.
This is the premise of Cate Shortland's bleak, but unforgettable coming-of-age tale of of a sixteen year old girl who decides to take matters into her own hands and become Alice, falling through the rabbit-hole, and taking the steps to her own awakening. It's not a new idea (then again, what is?) -- the theme of an underage girl leaving home and wandering alien streets, often at the expense of meeting dangers that lie in wait have been done to death, even in a gender-bending movie like BREAKFAST ON PLUTO.
However, this is an at-a-glance observation. There's much more going on in Shortland's movie. It could be seen as an allegory on the search for love in a world of illusion: Heidi seeks men because deep inside, she wants to connect, to belong, to love and be loved. She missteps the second time around with a guy she meets at a club and who leaves her the next morning for his girlfriend. A phone call from what seems to have been a trick also proves fruitless. Upon looking for a job to support herself she makes the mistake of flirting with a store owner and then an older man sitting outside in a vehicle in a parking lot.
And then she meets Joe (Sam Worthington, in a role reminiscent of Heath Ledger in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN due to his character's stoic nature and resistance to communication). Joe is a young farmer who has, we learn later on, never been with a woman, much less expressed affection towards them. He's an alcoholic, and has what seems to be his own sexual turmoil. Heidi's relation with Joe is nearly wordless and relies on touch, on gestures, on moments of restrained intimacy that differentiates it from her previous sexual encounters. However, she wants more: she brings the issue of expressing affection towards Joe who warns her with two words, "baby steps." However, the heart wants what it wants, and hers craves love, and thus ostracizes Joe.
So what happens when what seems to be a sure chance at love fails or looks like it's going due south? Heidi unravels like a spool of string let loose.
First she's invited to a co-worker's house where she meets the man with whom she flirted with in order to get a job. This time, he's not as nice but chilling: he drives her home, and details more cerebral than seen indicate he's raped Heidi while warning her never to come close to his daughter again. It's a masterful scene of restrained horror, in which the camera focuses on Lake Jindabyne, the night sky, and Abbie Cornish's chiaroscuro face as tears stream down her face and the man teases a lock of her hair.
Later, she spins completely out of control and gets herself in a horrible predicament, but this is precisely what has Heidi make a turnaround. It's, again, what seems to me to be an allegory of growing up from a child to an adult in a world that is full of hues of blues and magentas and holds little reality but enormous danger. Heidi is a precocious young woman, drifting from failed encounter to failed encounter until she realizes that it doesn't matter -- being loved -- and makes an important gesture of rejection, a reversal at that, to Joe's extended hand. She's grown up, and faces a future.
Cate Shortland's movie is a little uneven. It looks at time that shots are kept in order to maintain a poetic nature that somehow gets lost in translation -- it's as if the movie were overdirected. Abbie Cornish, however, rescues the movie and is a revelation as an actress, allowing her own body language and sad, questioning eyes to do the talking in a part that is complex because it requires that the actor playing it shed all notions of glamour while exuding it -- the kind that does exist in rough trade. She pulls off playing a girl playing a woman with such ease that I almost forgot it was actual acting. Ergo, the movie belongs to her, and points to a great career ahead.
This is the premise of Cate Shortland's bleak, but unforgettable coming-of-age tale of of a sixteen year old girl who decides to take matters into her own hands and become Alice, falling through the rabbit-hole, and taking the steps to her own awakening. It's not a new idea (then again, what is?) -- the theme of an underage girl leaving home and wandering alien streets, often at the expense of meeting dangers that lie in wait have been done to death, even in a gender-bending movie like BREAKFAST ON PLUTO.
However, this is an at-a-glance observation. There's much more going on in Shortland's movie. It could be seen as an allegory on the search for love in a world of illusion: Heidi seeks men because deep inside, she wants to connect, to belong, to love and be loved. She missteps the second time around with a guy she meets at a club and who leaves her the next morning for his girlfriend. A phone call from what seems to have been a trick also proves fruitless. Upon looking for a job to support herself she makes the mistake of flirting with a store owner and then an older man sitting outside in a vehicle in a parking lot.
And then she meets Joe (Sam Worthington, in a role reminiscent of Heath Ledger in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN due to his character's stoic nature and resistance to communication). Joe is a young farmer who has, we learn later on, never been with a woman, much less expressed affection towards them. He's an alcoholic, and has what seems to be his own sexual turmoil. Heidi's relation with Joe is nearly wordless and relies on touch, on gestures, on moments of restrained intimacy that differentiates it from her previous sexual encounters. However, she wants more: she brings the issue of expressing affection towards Joe who warns her with two words, "baby steps." However, the heart wants what it wants, and hers craves love, and thus ostracizes Joe.
So what happens when what seems to be a sure chance at love fails or looks like it's going due south? Heidi unravels like a spool of string let loose.
First she's invited to a co-worker's house where she meets the man with whom she flirted with in order to get a job. This time, he's not as nice but chilling: he drives her home, and details more cerebral than seen indicate he's raped Heidi while warning her never to come close to his daughter again. It's a masterful scene of restrained horror, in which the camera focuses on Lake Jindabyne, the night sky, and Abbie Cornish's chiaroscuro face as tears stream down her face and the man teases a lock of her hair.
Later, she spins completely out of control and gets herself in a horrible predicament, but this is precisely what has Heidi make a turnaround. It's, again, what seems to me to be an allegory of growing up from a child to an adult in a world that is full of hues of blues and magentas and holds little reality but enormous danger. Heidi is a precocious young woman, drifting from failed encounter to failed encounter until she realizes that it doesn't matter -- being loved -- and makes an important gesture of rejection, a reversal at that, to Joe's extended hand. She's grown up, and faces a future.
Cate Shortland's movie is a little uneven. It looks at time that shots are kept in order to maintain a poetic nature that somehow gets lost in translation -- it's as if the movie were overdirected. Abbie Cornish, however, rescues the movie and is a revelation as an actress, allowing her own body language and sad, questioning eyes to do the talking in a part that is complex because it requires that the actor playing it shed all notions of glamour while exuding it -- the kind that does exist in rough trade. She pulls off playing a girl playing a woman with such ease that I almost forgot it was actual acting. Ergo, the movie belongs to her, and points to a great career ahead.
More straightforward telling would have helped
alainenglish2 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
"Somersault" is a vivid, interesting coming-of-age tale about a young girl who runs away from home, and quickly has encounters and experiences that force her to grow up fast.
Heidi (Abbie Cornish) is a lively teenage girl living at home with her single mother (Olivia Pigeot). When she's caught kissing her mum's creepy tattooed boyfriend, she does a runner, ending up in a lowly ski resort. She charms her way into a job and a place to stay, but soon her abundant sexuality and immaturity mean she eventually becomes unstuck...
This is a bleaker depiction of Australia than is seen in most popular soap operas. Shot in shades of grey and blue, it is shown to be a cold, barren wasteland inhabited by disconnected, lonely human beings. Director Cate Shortland shows this off to good effect, but could have done without the arty shots of falling leaves, and slow-motion captures of passing countryside and kept the story told in a more straightforward way.
The coming-of-age plot is a standard hook, naive teenage girl uses newfound sexuality to achieve intimacy, people exploit her, she defeats this and becomes hardened and wiser as a result. "Somersault" does not quite follow this path, and while there is a suggestion that Heidi has become wiser by the end, it is clear she still has a lot of growing up to do. Throughout, the girl seems dazed and disconnected by the real world around her, and in this the parallel between her and an autistic boy she encounters is not exploited nearly enough.
As Heidi, Abbie Cornish gives a performance that is at once sultry and naive. With blonde hair, fresh face and husky voice, Abbie captures the girl's sensuality and insecurity very well. The only flaw is the primordial scream she lets out on losing her job at a serving station. That is the only false note in her entire performance. Sam Worthington plays Joe, the only character in the film who truly understands her, while dealing with demons and anxieties all his own. Sam delivers a subtle, noteworthy performance.
Not perfect and a tad too arty in places, "Somersault" should nevertheless be the basis for more Australian pictures.
Heidi (Abbie Cornish) is a lively teenage girl living at home with her single mother (Olivia Pigeot). When she's caught kissing her mum's creepy tattooed boyfriend, she does a runner, ending up in a lowly ski resort. She charms her way into a job and a place to stay, but soon her abundant sexuality and immaturity mean she eventually becomes unstuck...
This is a bleaker depiction of Australia than is seen in most popular soap operas. Shot in shades of grey and blue, it is shown to be a cold, barren wasteland inhabited by disconnected, lonely human beings. Director Cate Shortland shows this off to good effect, but could have done without the arty shots of falling leaves, and slow-motion captures of passing countryside and kept the story told in a more straightforward way.
The coming-of-age plot is a standard hook, naive teenage girl uses newfound sexuality to achieve intimacy, people exploit her, she defeats this and becomes hardened and wiser as a result. "Somersault" does not quite follow this path, and while there is a suggestion that Heidi has become wiser by the end, it is clear she still has a lot of growing up to do. Throughout, the girl seems dazed and disconnected by the real world around her, and in this the parallel between her and an autistic boy she encounters is not exploited nearly enough.
As Heidi, Abbie Cornish gives a performance that is at once sultry and naive. With blonde hair, fresh face and husky voice, Abbie captures the girl's sensuality and insecurity very well. The only flaw is the primordial scream she lets out on losing her job at a serving station. That is the only false note in her entire performance. Sam Worthington plays Joe, the only character in the film who truly understands her, while dealing with demons and anxieties all his own. Sam delivers a subtle, noteworthy performance.
Not perfect and a tad too arty in places, "Somersault" should nevertheless be the basis for more Australian pictures.
Beautifully nuanced character study set in an Australian ski resort (?!)
AMadLane19 September 2004
So often, Australian films that make it to America are set either in a large city (usually Sydney), the outback (think "Crocodile Dundee " -- if you must) or the deep interior, a la "Rabbit Proof Fence" -- which films always seem to manage to work Ayers Rock in. It comes as a mild surprise, then, to see the bulk of this film set in an alpine-type ski resort burg. The lead performances, by Sam Worthington and especially by Abbie Cornish (here playing, according to the write-up, 16 years old, although I don't remember an exact age being mentioned in the film; I suspect in real life Ms. Cornish may be older than that, but she plays the age most convincingly in any case) are absolutely top-notch; Ms. Cornish's might be said to be award-worthy. The story unfolds at a leisurely pace, and yet there is an underlying tension within the story that works perfectly. Of the mere four films I had the time and money to see at this year's Toronto Film Festival, this was my hands-down favorite.
A Vague but Appealing Indie Film about Sexual Awakening
KKnox061614 July 2008
There is a moment in Cate Shortland's "Somersault" where Joe (Sam Worthington), a surly and emotionally closed-off young man confused over the feelings he has for his kind-of girlfriend Heidi (Abbie Cornish), shows up at the home of an openly gay acquaintance of his mother's andafter downing several shots and spilling his guts to the older manfollows him into the hallway and makes an awkward pass at him by planting a drunken kiss on him. It's a surprising twist in both Joe's development as a character and the movie itself, but it's just one of several similarly unexpected--and unexplained--moments that define Shortland's oddly compelling drama about sexual coming-of-age. Joe is not the main character, nor does the film ever revisit his attempt at same-sex experimentation, and it's that vague attention to detail that is the most frustrating aspect of the movie. The story actually belongs to Heidi, an evidently emotionally troubled teenager with no concept of propriety who, for no apparent reason, decides to make a pass at her mother's hunky boyfriend. When mom comes home and catches the two kissing, she freaks, and Heidi runs away to a neighboring town. There, she shacks up in the small flat of an empathetic motel owner, gets a job at the local BP service station, and has sex with a string of guys. It is Joe, however, that most captivates her, and their awkward and strained attempts at forging a relationship are some of the most authentic captured on celluloid. Both of them are plagued by troubles that are never explored (apparently, Heidi once tried to commit suicide, as is evidenced by the scars on her wrists), but as they begin to open up to each other, the movie becomes more fascinating and oddly romantic. Shortland's direction is as languid as her ambling script (a bit more back story on the characters would have made them more three- dimensional), but her style is effective nonetheless, providing a showcase for the talents of both Worthington and Cornish, two young Aussie up-and-comers who appear to have big futures ahead of them. Grade: B.--Originally published in IN Los Angeles Magazine.
Really good
bazookamouth-221-89809724 September 2020
a poetic gem
Margie249 August 2005
I saw a screening of this in New York City in late March, and I loved it. I thought about this movie for many days afterward, and it is one of the best films I've seen all year. It is scheduled for an October release.
This was a beautiful, poetic film- one that touched me both on an artistic level and a deeply personal level. Although I am forty-five now, the movie took me on a vivid journey back to my own adolescence, and the truth that Ms. Shortland captured about "Heidi," and the relationship between "Heidi" and "Joe" was breathtakingly realistic.
Somewhere during my viewing, I realized I was watching one those rare works of art which so startlingly and accurately paint a piece of the human experience that is both reflective of its time and place and destined to transcend them. "Heidi's" red gloves become the self-protective coat of armor to an Aussie teen-aged a girl of the twenty-first century the way "Holden's" red hunting cap served the same purpose to the confused, distraught adolescent of 1940's New York City.
The acting is superb, and there is not a false note anywhere to be found in any of the elements of this film.
This was a beautiful, poetic film- one that touched me both on an artistic level and a deeply personal level. Although I am forty-five now, the movie took me on a vivid journey back to my own adolescence, and the truth that Ms. Shortland captured about "Heidi," and the relationship between "Heidi" and "Joe" was breathtakingly realistic.
Somewhere during my viewing, I realized I was watching one those rare works of art which so startlingly and accurately paint a piece of the human experience that is both reflective of its time and place and destined to transcend them. "Heidi's" red gloves become the self-protective coat of armor to an Aussie teen-aged a girl of the twenty-first century the way "Holden's" red hunting cap served the same purpose to the confused, distraught adolescent of 1940's New York City.
The acting is superb, and there is not a false note anywhere to be found in any of the elements of this film.
I don't wanna be alone
dianjg11 July 2005
Somersault underlines a girl's desire of not wanting to be alone. The main character, Heidi, may appear to be flirtatious toward guys; yet what she wants is really to have a company. I guess her characteristics are derived from her mother, Nicole. Thus this is one interesting point of view to look at: about the parallelism of stories between the mother and the daughter. From the short appearance of Nicole, I believe she has her own story of not wanting to be alone. Else, where would Heidi come from? In terms of storyline, I see the simple third act form; beginning, middle, end. Heidi has a journey, and after all the troubles, she manages to resolve with her problems. Heidi's diary might help the audience to know Heidi's back-story. I like how clever the dialog between Heidi and her 'boyfriend' is constructed. In terms of technicalities, the use of landscape and natural elements helps the audience to engage with the story. The snow, the "tears" caused by using hot water to crack the snow on the car's windscreen, the red color
(I am not going to spoil the film here =) ). The mood of the film is very blue from the very beginning; we even see a blue laundry basket! When the resolution is made, though, the light brightens
very nice indeed. "It's good that we met", Somersault.
Struggling to find affection in a surprisingly moving and beautiful film.
meredithconnie10 April 2007
A beautifully filmed story, the two film comparisons that come to mind are The Virgin Suicides and Morvern Callar. All of these films feature young girls, coping with circumstances that throw them into a spiral - an internal spiral - filmed with grace, attention to detail and a good ear for the soundtrack. There are difficult moments here, where I found myself saying 'Don't do it, don't do it', but she does because inexperience and lack of confidence make for poor choices. As soon as you can place yourself in her shoes, you will find this film moving, and very clearly (and poetically) observed. I recommend this film very highly, both for its clean and original voice - and very Australian voice - and the sympathy we feel for its very real lead characters.
Very decent film
yiyi8899028 July 2004
I saw this film at the Sydney Film Festival, and thought it was a decent film. I was impressed by two things - the cinematography of Robert Humphries and the acting performance by Abby Cornish.
Firstly, Humphries' cinematography is visually breathtaking. His hand-held work is probably the best I've seen from both him (I've seen Mullet, Walking on Water and Delivery Day), and from any cinematographer in Australia for the past year. It's very controlled - yet still moving. The colours of Jindabyne are reflected in deep reds and blues - and is certainly unique to Australian film.
Secondly, Abby Cornish's performance is unrestrained. She is certainly an actress of the future I believe, and I was impressed overall with her work in this film. She has a natural "animalistic" quality on screen which is very seductive to watch.
Overall, this is a decent film. It's probably not as powerful and moving as The Finished People or Lantana, but much better than Japanese Story and the whole swag of Australian comedies. There are several story strands that are too neatly resolved which lets it down, but overall it's worth watching.
Firstly, Humphries' cinematography is visually breathtaking. His hand-held work is probably the best I've seen from both him (I've seen Mullet, Walking on Water and Delivery Day), and from any cinematographer in Australia for the past year. It's very controlled - yet still moving. The colours of Jindabyne are reflected in deep reds and blues - and is certainly unique to Australian film.
Secondly, Abby Cornish's performance is unrestrained. She is certainly an actress of the future I believe, and I was impressed overall with her work in this film. She has a natural "animalistic" quality on screen which is very seductive to watch.
Overall, this is a decent film. It's probably not as powerful and moving as The Finished People or Lantana, but much better than Japanese Story and the whole swag of Australian comedies. There are several story strands that are too neatly resolved which lets it down, but overall it's worth watching.
Good acting and cinematography, poor writing and directing
dew-1520 August 2004
See this film to see fine young actors doing good work.
See this film to see beautiful cinematography. The credits alone are worth a look.
Unfortunately, however, these are let down by a poorly constructed script, wooden dialog, and storytelling laden with clichés. These range from gratuitous scenes -- Heidi following Joe outside, naked; Joe's gay kiss... to characters telling each other things that we should be seeing -- "You don't know what you want!" or "You're afraid to get close to someone!"... to film school visual clichés -- Heidi under the bathwater, finally bursting up for air; Heidi wandering moodily through the landscape.
By the time we were treated for the seventh time to Heidi wandering moodily through the landscape, I was ready to burst out of the theatre, gasping for air.
See this film to see beautiful cinematography. The credits alone are worth a look.
Unfortunately, however, these are let down by a poorly constructed script, wooden dialog, and storytelling laden with clichés. These range from gratuitous scenes -- Heidi following Joe outside, naked; Joe's gay kiss... to characters telling each other things that we should be seeing -- "You don't know what you want!" or "You're afraid to get close to someone!"... to film school visual clichés -- Heidi under the bathwater, finally bursting up for air; Heidi wandering moodily through the landscape.
By the time we were treated for the seventh time to Heidi wandering moodily through the landscape, I was ready to burst out of the theatre, gasping for air.
Teen girl runs away from home, and learns hard lessons
rusingram13 March 2005
I saw this film this weekend at a film festival in Austin, Texas, without having heard anything about it ahead of time, and without reading any reviews. I suspect that going in to the theater without any expectations made it more enjoyable to watch.
The cinematography was excellent, and the acting was quite strong. The script was a bit weak, but did not get in the way of the film being engaging and interesting. The story is a bit ethereal at times, by design I think, and flows gradually as the scenes change.
I'd recommend it, especially for anyone who is comfortable with unconventional scripts.
The cinematography was excellent, and the acting was quite strong. The script was a bit weak, but did not get in the way of the film being engaging and interesting. The story is a bit ethereal at times, by design I think, and flows gradually as the scenes change.
I'd recommend it, especially for anyone who is comfortable with unconventional scripts.
promising, wan, gloss 6/10
rashomon11110 October 2005
I'm guessing that this website is generally pro Sommersault. Or at least the ten or so first posts that I have read. I will therefore try and be clear and dispassionate in my objections and praises for the film.
It's a lovely simple story in some respects. The opening sequence is very promising (we start with something epic and shattering -- and the cinematography here feels more restrained) but as we move into the mountain sequences there tends to be a lack of restraint in the choices made by the director/DP/art director.
For example, the overly codified red gloves, goggles -- are more reminiscent of an advertisement or a video clip than the subtlety required in rendering the poetry of this story.
There are also some other story elements that feel visually indulgent and unnecessary. For example: the shot of her diary -- when did we see this diary being used / what relevance does this have to the story or character when it feels out of keeping for a girl who is going through some kind of transgressive sexual journey. It feels more kin to a girl who is top of her class at school. We don't need to make her into an artist to care for her.
Also -- the hose scene. Perhaps it's the way they set it up, but to me it felt like an unnecessary visual gimmick -- it should have been motivated by the character.
The performances in general are really excellent.
Although I do believe that the "touch" metaphor is handled with too much force -- IE slowed down close-ups etc take the beauty away from these moments feeling organic to the character.
Politically, I question the over abundance of liminal characters (for example -- it felt terribly PC to have a middle aged gay man turn down this hot young man, as well as the indigenous family with aspergers) but despite these conceits interesting interactions still emerge. I was more curious about the Lynne Curran character -- the relationship with the girl was really unexplored and I think this 'surrogate' mother daughter relationship would have strengthened the intensity of the story and highlighted the problems she has with authority figures in general (and especially 'mother' figures vis a vis her own developing sexuality).
This film is not a classic nor is it completely awful. It is great for a first feature although more interesting as a fish out of water Australian film with extremely high production values -- than as the work of an auteur with something different to say.
It's a lovely simple story in some respects. The opening sequence is very promising (we start with something epic and shattering -- and the cinematography here feels more restrained) but as we move into the mountain sequences there tends to be a lack of restraint in the choices made by the director/DP/art director.
For example, the overly codified red gloves, goggles -- are more reminiscent of an advertisement or a video clip than the subtlety required in rendering the poetry of this story.
There are also some other story elements that feel visually indulgent and unnecessary. For example: the shot of her diary -- when did we see this diary being used / what relevance does this have to the story or character when it feels out of keeping for a girl who is going through some kind of transgressive sexual journey. It feels more kin to a girl who is top of her class at school. We don't need to make her into an artist to care for her.
Also -- the hose scene. Perhaps it's the way they set it up, but to me it felt like an unnecessary visual gimmick -- it should have been motivated by the character.
The performances in general are really excellent.
Although I do believe that the "touch" metaphor is handled with too much force -- IE slowed down close-ups etc take the beauty away from these moments feeling organic to the character.
Politically, I question the over abundance of liminal characters (for example -- it felt terribly PC to have a middle aged gay man turn down this hot young man, as well as the indigenous family with aspergers) but despite these conceits interesting interactions still emerge. I was more curious about the Lynne Curran character -- the relationship with the girl was really unexplored and I think this 'surrogate' mother daughter relationship would have strengthened the intensity of the story and highlighted the problems she has with authority figures in general (and especially 'mother' figures vis a vis her own developing sexuality).
This film is not a classic nor is it completely awful. It is great for a first feature although more interesting as a fish out of water Australian film with extremely high production values -- than as the work of an auteur with something different to say.
Good intentions not enough
ncammack14 November 2004
A couple of good young actors, a nicely-photographed and reasonably original setting, and the usual soupcon of taxpayers' folding stuff aren't enough to make this one work. The plot, at least, is not predictable, as it goes nowhere in particular - nowhere that I was much interested in going, anyway.
The main characters are Heidi, a dysfunctional adolescent with the IQ of a potplant and rather limited sexual discrimination, and her love interest (if that's not too strong a word) Joe, a well-off farmer's son handicapped by that scourge of the Anglo-Saxon male, a distressing inability to articulate his feelings. He is, however, dark, good-looking and, so far as such things can be judged by another Anglo-Saxon male, sensitive.
Can Joe be saved from in articulation by a good woman? (Are there any in sight?) Can Heidi be saved from her self-destructive behaviour patterns? (Is there a therapist in the house?)
Do we care?
There are other characters, of course. Joe has a boofhead mate (seemingly no smarter than Heidi, an achievement of sorts) who hangs around with other boofheads and their bitchy girlfriends. There's also an Aboriginal family (close-knit and good-hearted, and with a handicapped child to boot); a gay farmer (handsome, sensitive and intelligent); a tragic widow (with heart of gold); and a chorus of young males (drunken, uncouth and insensitive). But no stereotypes, of course. This is an Australian film, after all.
The main characters are Heidi, a dysfunctional adolescent with the IQ of a potplant and rather limited sexual discrimination, and her love interest (if that's not too strong a word) Joe, a well-off farmer's son handicapped by that scourge of the Anglo-Saxon male, a distressing inability to articulate his feelings. He is, however, dark, good-looking and, so far as such things can be judged by another Anglo-Saxon male, sensitive.
Can Joe be saved from in articulation by a good woman? (Are there any in sight?) Can Heidi be saved from her self-destructive behaviour patterns? (Is there a therapist in the house?)
Do we care?
There are other characters, of course. Joe has a boofhead mate (seemingly no smarter than Heidi, an achievement of sorts) who hangs around with other boofheads and their bitchy girlfriends. There's also an Aboriginal family (close-knit and good-hearted, and with a handicapped child to boot); a gay farmer (handsome, sensitive and intelligent); a tragic widow (with heart of gold); and a chorus of young males (drunken, uncouth and insensitive). But no stereotypes, of course. This is an Australian film, after all.
a bit biased because I liked Joe
mami_28 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Went to see this movie on a friends' recommendation (she read a review); she had not seen it either. Halfway through the movie she started apologizing for taking me to see it. Actually it was not that bad. Heidi didn't get on my nerves as much as I thought she would. I saw her as totally lost and trying to fit into situations that she was not used to and actually being convincing. By the end of the movie, when she decides to go back home, you have to understand. That she doesn't end up with Joe, which I was so wishing would happen, is also understandable considering that no matter how hard she tried, she wouldn't fit into the mold. Joe doesn't have issues that are different from many people; some people have difficulties expressing emotion, and though it took him a long time to give Heidi exactly what she wanted, you couldn't hate him. He expressed interest in the first place, that was probably a big achievement for him. Granted, he could have called her a bit more and he didn't have to kiss the hot gay guy, but he was just trying to find himself. The movie overall had potential. There were many moments where I sat waiting for something major to happen, only to keep getting disappointed. I would give it a 5/10.
not as good as the piano
come2whereimfrom3 April 2005
Somersault is a nice little movie, low on budget, high on little directorial ideas and camera work. It tells the story of Heidi, who after being caught with her mum's boyfriend is thrown out to try and find peace within herself. Her journey takes her through bars, booze, bad sex and emotions that only a disillusioned young girl might have. Along the way she gets caught up in teen situations involving love and loss, all heightened by the fact she's facing them alone (when she secretly wants her mummy). There are touching elements to this film like Heidi's relationship with landlady of the local motel, who mothers Heidi after losing her son to prison. The only character not explored as much as I'd like is that of the main guy (see I cant even remember his name!) he smolders on screen with intensity like his stomach is on fire. He contains so much hidden aggression that at any point you wonder if he'll kick off. He doesn't he tries bisexuality (also not explored) and cries a lot. By the end of this film I was really wanting something to happen, Heidi to commit suicide, her bloke to go mental crazy but nothing. Maybe this was the films intension but ultimately it left me wanting something deeper and more substantial.
Beautiful cinematography and lackadaisical Australian political incorrectness
Chris_Docker28 August 2004
Fabulous cinematography in this lyrical tale of a young girl kicked out after making a pass at her mother's boyfriend. The scenes flow into each other with striking use of gentle colour. Our central character is - what we would say in Britain anyway - 'taken advantage of' by several young men (whose idea of a chat up line might be "well, take your top off then . ..") Such gender political incorrectness (or simple male loutishness) goes by in our story without any narrative comment. It had to be an Australian film - I have seen such Neolithic attitudes, sadly, in that beautiful country more than anywhere else in the world. The director (Cate Shortland) didn't see any problem. When I asked her about the direction of Australian filmmaking, that used to be experimental and controversial - and now makes international news largely for its right-wing censoring of sex and nudity by such internationally acclaimed filmmakers as Catherine Breillat - she replied that it is politically difficult to do anything in Australia at the moment as the leader of the country is practically a right-wing disciple of Margaret Thatcher. And politicians wonder why so many artists have leftists tendencies . . .
2 Years On, A Very Moving Film
alexcs-122 October 2006
I must confess some bias, being a massive fan of the Snowy area :) This film I can see not appealing to those who have never been to the Cooma/Jindabyne area of NSW. They will have no point of reference. For those who have however, this film is simply brilliant. I have stayed at the motel Heidi stayed at. I have visited friends with houses like Joes. The mood/feeling of Heidi around the edges of Lake Jindabyne are uncanny. There is a feeling down there I have not had anywhere else in Australia. A barren, cold feeling that is at once breathtaking and heartbreaking.
Objectively, one could indeed see this movie being light on concerning the plot. In my mind and experiences though, I have never been so engrossed. Heidi and Joes relationship is so tantalising. So possible. It might seem to some as not realistic, but it really is. This is how many, many Australians express themselves ( on a good day! ) It is pure, and wonderful, and simply amazing and I don't care that this may have been the only film close to warranting attention in 2004. It is regardless completely brilliant, and I for one will be holding it close to my heart for a long long time to come.
Australian cinema very rarely gets this close to actual emotion, and this film hits it again and again. Some of it may be contrived or stereotypical, but overall it really is a gem hidden amongst 21st century Australian cinema pap. Enjoy it please :)
Objectively, one could indeed see this movie being light on concerning the plot. In my mind and experiences though, I have never been so engrossed. Heidi and Joes relationship is so tantalising. So possible. It might seem to some as not realistic, but it really is. This is how many, many Australians express themselves ( on a good day! ) It is pure, and wonderful, and simply amazing and I don't care that this may have been the only film close to warranting attention in 2004. It is regardless completely brilliant, and I for one will be holding it close to my heart for a long long time to come.
Australian cinema very rarely gets this close to actual emotion, and this film hits it again and again. Some of it may be contrived or stereotypical, but overall it really is a gem hidden amongst 21st century Australian cinema pap. Enjoy it please :)
Slow Study of Gender Dynamics.
rmax30482323 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Not a bad film, an unpretentious leisurely examination of just how tough it is to find someone able to show you love -- in case we didn't already know. If Heidi, Abbie Cornish, a toothsome teen ager, so gloriously blond that even her eyebrows seem bleached, has such trouble, the rest of us must have gone through absolute hell. She's sweet, shy, submissive, and aching to be touched.
How she manages to run into so many male nincompoops is hard to understand -- a lecherous Mom's boyfriend, a guy who's worried he might be gay, two rich kids who pick her up drunk and take her home for a threesome, the father of a tentative girl friend who lies in order to dishonor her. A regular line-up of losers. Any normal man would immediately comply when she begs to have her hand held, cuddle her like a tiny gerbil, then squeeze and bite her and have done with it.
It isn't impossible for men to follow this movie, given that the male viewers are of normal character. It's that men are less interested than woman, and perhaps a little embarrassed, by films whose interpretations depend on emotional nuances. Men tend to ask themselves questions like, "What would John Wayne do?" However, it's an interesting effort, this minor film about a lonely, narcissistic young girl. "Narcissistic" in the Freudian sense of needing to be loved, not in the everyday sense of self-loving. The performances are fine, and the blue photography takes us out of the urban setting and away from the more common outback into a cold and snowy universe that most non-Australians are likely to be unfamiliar with. It also provides us with a glimpse into the lower-prole life of those who are barely making it in this setting, the people who drive rusted pickup trucks and live in shabby motel rooms and gurgle beer.
It might have used a bit of humor, something to relieve the heavy volume of dreariness. Nobody ever seems happy or amused. At best, Heidi shows hope, which -- twice -- is dashed.
However, a somersault is when you fall forward, roll over, and wind up standing erect, and that, basically, is the trajectory of the plot. Heidi takes off from home with a backpack, victimized, falls in with flawed company, and is rescued by a forgiving mother at the end. Heidi may or may not have learned anything from this escapade but perhaps her mother has.
How she manages to run into so many male nincompoops is hard to understand -- a lecherous Mom's boyfriend, a guy who's worried he might be gay, two rich kids who pick her up drunk and take her home for a threesome, the father of a tentative girl friend who lies in order to dishonor her. A regular line-up of losers. Any normal man would immediately comply when she begs to have her hand held, cuddle her like a tiny gerbil, then squeeze and bite her and have done with it.
It isn't impossible for men to follow this movie, given that the male viewers are of normal character. It's that men are less interested than woman, and perhaps a little embarrassed, by films whose interpretations depend on emotional nuances. Men tend to ask themselves questions like, "What would John Wayne do?" However, it's an interesting effort, this minor film about a lonely, narcissistic young girl. "Narcissistic" in the Freudian sense of needing to be loved, not in the everyday sense of self-loving. The performances are fine, and the blue photography takes us out of the urban setting and away from the more common outback into a cold and snowy universe that most non-Australians are likely to be unfamiliar with. It also provides us with a glimpse into the lower-prole life of those who are barely making it in this setting, the people who drive rusted pickup trucks and live in shabby motel rooms and gurgle beer.
It might have used a bit of humor, something to relieve the heavy volume of dreariness. Nobody ever seems happy or amused. At best, Heidi shows hope, which -- twice -- is dashed.
However, a somersault is when you fall forward, roll over, and wind up standing erect, and that, basically, is the trajectory of the plot. Heidi takes off from home with a backpack, victimized, falls in with flawed company, and is rescued by a forgiving mother at the end. Heidi may or may not have learned anything from this escapade but perhaps her mother has.
Very realistic
tlgreen256 August 2006
Beyond the aesthetically beautiful nature of this movie lies a story that is compelling in its realistic portrayal of young love and loneliness. The story moves along slowly, but I felt that this only added to the credibility of the plot, as most life situations aren't jam-packed with intense drama. The characters are flawed and complex - the main character Heidi is at once naive and youthful, and grown-up and savvy. The story details are slowly inserted, sometimes just through imagery - leaving the viewer to assume much of the back story - the movie does not feel contrived because you aren't being told every small detail and how the director wants you to judge each character. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone that enjoys artistic camera angles, realistic characters and situations, and doesn't mind slowing down to enjoy a good story.
young women expelled from her nest, looks for love/security in a small town
cscarcelli0624 February 2007
I liked this movie because it wasn't your typical love story and it featured very good performances from the two leading actors(cornish and worthington) the latter I never seen before but will now be on the look out. Abbie Cornish helped carry this movie to a higher rating for me. Her lost-puppy looks, fear, determination to make-it in the real/scary world and to find a life for herself is well evoked. The setting of the movie is a small (sking) town frequented by rich and poor. The town has a kind of cold/barren type quality to it even though it's sort of a tourist spot. It kind of reminded me of NOI(iceland) in that the lovers in the movie are trapped in their environment and no matter what the outcome they are still stuck.
Tedium
georgec-920 November 2004
I choose my movie-going on the basis of critical reviews: rarely am I let down. This was one of those occasions, for rarely have I sat through such an exercise in tedium.
Other viewers have outlined the paper thin story of a vacuous young lady who runs away from home after making a pass at her mother's boyfriend. But, although it has been described as "Australian incorrectness", I would suggest it is just the opposite: a feminist shot at supposed male shallowness, per medium of a few stereotypes. This is accompanied by the parallel proposition that the "masculine" types probably are closet gays.
Much has been made of the lyrical photography of the landscape around Jindabyne. The camera panning slowly through long lingering landscapes does indeed extend the movie considerably, but this is supposedly a drama, not a documentary. Let's have one or the other!
Well, that doesn't leave much. Somehow I lasted the distance, suffering from a mixture of irritation at the slightness of the story and tedium at the way it was presented. Profundity? Maybe we were given the long lingering (etc) so that we could meditate on why we were there: I know I did.
Avoid!
Other viewers have outlined the paper thin story of a vacuous young lady who runs away from home after making a pass at her mother's boyfriend. But, although it has been described as "Australian incorrectness", I would suggest it is just the opposite: a feminist shot at supposed male shallowness, per medium of a few stereotypes. This is accompanied by the parallel proposition that the "masculine" types probably are closet gays.
Much has been made of the lyrical photography of the landscape around Jindabyne. The camera panning slowly through long lingering landscapes does indeed extend the movie considerably, but this is supposedly a drama, not a documentary. Let's have one or the other!
Well, that doesn't leave much. Somehow I lasted the distance, suffering from a mixture of irritation at the slightness of the story and tedium at the way it was presented. Profundity? Maybe we were given the long lingering (etc) so that we could meditate on why we were there: I know I did.
Avoid!
Somersault a sexual journey
brian-9408 June 2005
SOMERSAULT is a well handled treatment of a young 16 year old girl's journey through the discovery of her own sexuality and how to separate love from sex through creative encounters and experimentation. It is a very even handed portrayal staying clear of any moral or cultural judgments, with delicate if not provocative undertones and undergarments. Heidi who left under a misunderstanding when she quite innocently had an affair with her mother's live in boyfriend, heads to the symbolic wilds of New South Wales where she meets several of the movies characters all involved in their own emotional development or lack there of and are destined to repeat the nightly beer bashes and multiple empty (although enjoyable) sexual encounters where this critic felt an immediate connection with their strife. Heidi's life is rapidly becoming a slow alcohol induced, sexually propelled train wreck when finally the retarded aborigine boy sagely suggests that she simply should call her mom, who comes and picks her up and all is forgiven. The character of the gay farmer served no purpose to propel the story line and in my opinion was a cheap ploy to get most movie critics who are wired that way to come see the movie. Heidi's smirk reflected in the window of her mother's car at the end of the move serves as a perfect juxtaposition to her curious look at the opening scene while removing her surrogate stepfather's pants. A masterfully balanced film that I give a five star stretchability factor to. Don't walk but run to see this movie!!
Fascinating to a local
lukarhoderick5 July 2020
Never quite lands on its feet
rooee16 May 2010
Like last year's Bright Star, Somersault sees the luminous Abbie Cornish steal every scene in a neatly framed, well-meaning, but vapid love story. This Heidi is no Fanny though; she's shy and desperate to feel wanted, and emotional security above romance is the order of the day. She obviously sees something similarly fragile in Sam Worthington's Joe. It's just a pity that Worthington the actor hasn't the subtlety to convince us of this hidden sensitivity; his shifts in mood come across as minor Hulk moments. He even has a Lou Ferrigno mullet.
The plotting itself is fine, but the dialogue is often flat and feels very 'written': lots of unlikely, monosyllabic, stabbing exchanges, which tend to undermine the chilly rawness of the film's photography and themes.
There's a bleak spine of truth running through Cate Shortland's debut feature, and many well-observed scenes. But ultimately it comes off as a kind of STI-free rendition of Lilya-4-Ever.
The plotting itself is fine, but the dialogue is often flat and feels very 'written': lots of unlikely, monosyllabic, stabbing exchanges, which tend to undermine the chilly rawness of the film's photography and themes.
There's a bleak spine of truth running through Cate Shortland's debut feature, and many well-observed scenes. But ultimately it comes off as a kind of STI-free rendition of Lilya-4-Ever.
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