wri./dir. Thom Fitzgerald

In the opening scene of Thom Fitzgerald's debut feature, a man whose identity is hidden hits a little boy for not remembering the names of particular plants, setting the tone for the rest of the picture. Fitzgerald then cuts to a wedding where he introduces a seemingly normal family. The event is a trial for those involved (the reason one presumes at this stage, is the unnecessary formality that weddings often require). It's fun to watch but with the arrival of the prodigal son and brother of the bride, just as things are kicking off, the story becomes more complex. Returning to the house he grew up in and his troubled family, Sweet William has to deal with painful memories. His flashbacks that tie in with the opening scene sometimes occur simulateously with the current action so that one does not at first realise that the young William remembered is not an actual guest at the wedding. More surreal visuals ensue. It's Sweet William making light of his former life so as not to be overwhelmed by it and as such they lend an element of black humour. Throughout, the new Sweet William is a dignified character because he confronts the past with seemingly little bitterness and recognises the suffering of the rest of the family including their old blind and deaf dog who is a link to the past. Another old relic, barely living, is eccentric and senile old Nana, who is a fundamentalist catholic. Fitzgerald has a bit of fun with this but granny and like minded others are really just asking for it.

At various times the screen explodes into a colour to represent the flowers forgotten by the little boy but also as a way of pausing momentarily the narrative. But taking control of one's life and moving on is what Fitzgerald is primarily about. He handles difficult topics like child abuse and homosexuality creatively without sentimentality resulting in a believable and ultimately moving film.

peter long
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