The Sapphires (2012) Reviews

• Enjoyable and uniquely Australian

  mroodge2012-07-23

  First and foremost, it's important to say that this is a drama, and the comedy and music are secondary. An enormous relief, in a film that needed to tell a story, and not turn the experiences of the four girls, and their manager, in to a musical. 'The Sapphires' tells a uniquely Australian story of four Aboriginal girls who overcame the prejudice of the 60s to find themselves sent off to Vietnam to entertain the troops, along with their charismatic, but occasionally inept, manager (Chris O'Dowd). There's a decent ensemble cast, with exceptional performances from Deborah Mailman and Shari Sebbens. The film is uplifting, gently deals with some big issues that faced Aborigines and is entertaining to just about anyone. Some criticism of the film was that it underplayed both the Vietnam War itself, and a couple of related events (easily spotted in the film), however I disagree. The film was busy drawing together the strands of storyline concerning the girls. To have emphasised any further the war, or any particular event, could only have detracted from the audience's appreciation of the other characters. Highly recommended for just about anyone. Non-Australians will be introduced to a little of Aboriginal culture and their struggle for equality, as well as a ripper movie that's fun and funny; Australians will be glad to see a rare story of Aboriginal triumph in the 20th century.

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• The Sapphires is a timely dose of optimism that had me falling in love with soul music all over again.

  samandallthatjazz2012-06-03

  As a lover of Australian film who was lucky enough to be at the Cannes premiere, I was filled with pride at the accomplishments of The Sapphires. Not only does the film tackle a huge story- it does so with heart, humor and a stellar soundtrack. It's exciting to see an Australian film diverge from suburban monotony and celebrate our countries vibrant culture and history. Deborah Mailman made me cry, Chris O'Dowd made me laugh and the superb Jessica Mauboy had me singing in my seat. The Sapphires is a timely dose of optimism that had me falling in love with soul music all over again.

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• An Australian gem

  RHewison2012-06-15

  My neighbour gave me her free tickets to see this film as she was unable to attend. I knew nothing at all about the film and went somewhat apprehensively. I needn't have worried however as it was a fantastic film. It follows four young girls who leave their Aboriginal community in the hope of entertaining US troops in Vietnam and becoming big stars. That's all it does. The director doesn't try to overplay it and make it overly dramatic. Instead it feels somewhat like a documentary, with no clear path as to where it's going. The actresses playing the four girls were superb, all being fantastic actresses who are believable in their work, but also incredible singers. Jessica Mauboy in particular was amazing and I honestly could have listened to them all night, no dialogue needed. Chris O'Dowd, the manager of the band, is funny while being endearing. The director subtly brought romance into the plot without taking anything away from the main story. Racism was a key topic that was brought up regularly to show how Aboriginal people were treated in the community and all the characters have to deal with it in some form of another. Kay in particular has to decide between being a white or black girl. It also brings home how prevalent it was then with one white solider refusing to be treated by a black doctor. It was truly harrowing. The film was shot wonderfully, with the Aboriginal community lit up in beautiful sunshine, while Vietnam scenes were kept bleak and grey. A great film that I would watch again.

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• Sensational

  mouldfield2012-07-22

  I've just seen a screening of The Sapphires and have to say that it's one of the best mainstream films I've seen in a long time. It was exhilarating: making me cry, laugh and want to dance. Over the years, there have been some amazing films of and about Aboriginal Australia. One of the very best being  Warwick Thornton's heart breaking Sampson And Delilah.  Some people will belittle The Sapphires for not being similarly heavy but this film is not that film.  This film, with it's Aboriginal writer and director (and cast, cinematographer (the wonderfully talented Warwick Thornton) and choreographer) is another film. It is a celebration of spiritedness and strength, lovingly made and deftly told. It left me with vivid impressions of the lives of the characters and of Australia at that time.  Tremendous chemistry between Chris O'Dowd and Deborah Mailman and the rest of the cast drew me in and up, as did the spine tinglingly good soul singing from Jessica  Mauboy.  Newcomers Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell were great too. I can't believe that this was Wayne Blair's first feature. Good on you Goalpost  for bringing an important script to (hopefully) a wide audience and doing it with such flair.

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• Surprisingly fabulous!

  squidypoo2012-08-03

  I never realised when my friend asked me if I wanted to come to the opening of the Melbourne International Film Festival with her to see some film called 'The Sapphires' that I knew nothing about, I would end up in my seat laughing, crying and beaming form ear to ear. I was lucky enough to see the film introduced by the original writer who explained where the idea came from and how it all came together, but even without that introduction, I was blown away. The acting was amazing, funny, charming, believable and heart wrenching. You really wanted to be friends with all of the main stars in the movie, not just The Sapphires, but their families also. I was lucky enough to meet Shari, who plays Kay, at the after party, and she was so humble and sweet. I am certain all of the cast and crew will have fabulous careers in the film industry and I can't wait to see more. Thank you, so much, for bringing this story to screen. I want to buy the DVD now!

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