Jun2013_MOVIE REVIEW

Drift

By Gemma Schuhmann

Drift explores the untold story of the beginning of the surfing industry in Australia.  It’s 1972 in the south western corner of Western Australia.  It’s hot, the dirt is red and the waves are high.

What else would the Kelly brothers do but surf?  With the help of their mother, and some friends they pick up along the way, they form a surf shop.  Slowly they advance from the garage to a shop in town before taking on the worlds surf industry.

Don’t be put off by thinking that this is just a surfing movie. It is so much more than that.  It’s about a family trying to make a living in a small town.  The locals don’t like them, neither do the banks and to make it worse they have a run in with the local bikie group.  They don’t help their case by befriending the new free-spirited surfies who have just rolled into town.  This is a classic Aussie film with a lot of heart.

Drift had such a low budget that everything had to be shot in camera.  There was no money left for special effects. Ultimately it makes this film looks fantastic.  What you see on the big screen is real.  They really were a few kilometres out to sea, with real waves and real weather.  Almost all the surfing in the film was the actors themselves.  Yes they used doubles every now and again but you virtually can’t tell the difference.  It gives the film a whole new depth to it.  You will get lost in the film and feel the uncontrollable power of the ocean.

If you don’t recognise any of the lead cast you must have been living under a rock for the last decade.  Myles Pollard is famous for his 6 year stint on McLeod’s Daughters.  Sam Worthington has made it big in Hollywood as the lead in Avatar and now Xavier Samuel is set to be the next Sam having starred in the Twilight series.  It’s great to see big time Hollywood actors come back and support their home film industry.  This casting opens the film up to an international level that would not have been possible if only Australian famous actors were used.

Drift will sweep you away into a true Australian story.

4/5