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Memorable, crazy movie

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Interesting that they used a couple of unknowns (possible local boys) with no previous work in film. Can't say they were half bad. I must say however I liked Loonie's character much better than Pikelet. Loonie was real and sparky. Pikelet had like one emotionless expression throughout the entire movie and the sex scenes with Eva would probably have disturbed me more if he DIDN'T look like a twenty-something lesbian. Not being familiar with Winton's work, I felt that this story was not that unique. It felt like Summer of '42, Endless Summer, and Stand by Me had a 3-way. Simon Baker was recognizable from The Mentalist and The Guardian, but his character's sudden infatuation and ongoing close relationship with two young teen boys made me wonder if the back story was or wasn't going to possibly reveal Sando's ephebophiliac appetite. I mean, only a checked out or abusive dad would allow a strange childless man take his 14 year old son on an extended hashish laced holiday to Indonesia. And even the postscipt about Loonie dying from a gun shot to the back of the head possibly during a drug deal gone awry made me wonder if Sando hadn't continued to use him as a drug mule spending the remainder of his teen years smuggling more than Sando's Salami in his rump. Sorry, it was watchable, but I'm glad I didn't pay full pop in the theater.

You know there are elements to this movie that are fabulous ! The attention to detail of Australia in the 70's is brilliant. The surfing scenes are tense and beautiful. Cinematography is rich and delicious. Richard Roxborough and Rachel Black are completely understated and wonderful as Pikelet's parents and hats off to the young lead actors who do a decent job in their respective roles BUT what fell absolutely flat for me was the 'shift' in the movie 90 minutes in and i'm TOTALLY left scratching my head as to WHY they added a revolting auto erotism asphixiation scene which if i'm right i'm lead to believe was not in the book and just made me sick to my stomach. The sex scenes were tastefully done UNTIL this disgusting moment. It didn't suit the tone of the movie WHATSOEVER and had the roles been reversed and that was a young teenager with a MUCH old man all hell would have broken loose and rightly so ! I just lost all respect for the film after that as there is no way i can now recommend that to my teenage nephews now. Had i been watching an European arthouse erotic flick it would have made sense. I'd love to know why Simon thought this would be suited to what was otherwise a solid and classy movie. 5 stars for the movie and a wopping big zero for that additional scene !

Beautiful atmospheric photography and universal of surf culture

I am not Australian. The film really didnt do it for me. The characters were too simple too one-dimensional. The "obsession" pretence didnt work. The plastic bag should have been omitted from the film version. Completely needless. Just WTF?