Last Train to Freo (2006)

Five people on a train for an hour and a half, how good can it be? Well, considering my rating, I'd say pretty good. To tell you the truth, I just watched this because Gigi Edgley was in it (I love her), and my expectations weren't really that high. Just a few minutes in I was pretty sure I had nothing to worry about. With most movies nowadays (at least the ones that reach me) focusing on action and hi-tech stuff, this movie felt really refreshing. Even though it begins pretty light, with two guys just having fun (well, at least one of them) on the train, it gets increasingly darker and more complex with every minute. No one is really what they seem to be, and several plot twists were truly unexpected. As was the ending. Speaking of which, by the time you get there you'll have no idea what will happen. That's a feeling lacking in most contemporary movies. I mean, the good guys always win, right? But what if there is no good guy? No bad guy? Just people. Real people.And if you're too lazy to read all that, then at least read this: Watch this movie. You'll be positively surprised. If not, send me an e-mail and I'll buy you a beer. Or something.

Being Australian, I keep a close eye out for Aussie films and am always willing to give them a chance. I must say that the film started off at a crawl and gradually picked up some momentum which kept me watching. The film continued to pick up momentum but fell flat at the ending.The story follows two men, young Trev, a deadbeat no-hoper teenager from the street and his tall unnamed thug associate recently released from prison as they call the last train from Perth to Freo in the early hours of the morning. Eventually three more people get on the last train to Freo, and some interesting revelations about these characters are revealed.The acting isn't too bad and the dialogue was quite fresh and uniquely Australian. But at the end of the day, nothing happens. The film continues to build momentum throughout - revelations are made and the main thug becomes more aggressive and we wait in anticipation to see the outcome. But the film does not take the next step. Some may applaud the film for doing this, but not me because it meant the film was completely devoid of anything happening. The concept was interesting, but it seemed the writers didn't know where to take it. Nor did I feel that the film made any relevant commentary on society which it attempts to do.Its disappointing because this film was quite an interesting concept but the result is forgettable.

Diane and I watched this extraordinary film in Freo yesterday not far from where it reached its quiet conclusion. We were both completely absorbed in this filmed stage play meaning that the action was completed totally within the confines of a suburban train traveling through Perth from one end to another. Boring you might say and it could have easily been in the hands of less superb actors working with a far less substantial script.I have rarely seen film that sustains visceral tension for its entire length: Pacino's Scarface did it but the overall result in my opinion was less tense than director Sims managed to sustain in this beauty. Again, in my opinion, the credit must be shared between Sims and the lead actor Steve Le Marquand. I can not say enough about Marquand's extraordinary performance. To be able to maintain a palpable sense of fear for the length of the entire movie is difficult and by so doing catapults the actor into a new realm of acting ability. Marquand had that acting ability to, in one instant act as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth and an instant later literally frighten the observer into believing that his actions include any possibility-scary stuff.The secondary roles must be mentioned because as all artists know the canvas is nearly as important as the paint and the roles that Marquand played off could not have been better. They contributed through their own excellent acting to a canvas upon which this marvelous film could be painted.Make every effort to see this gem-you will be amply rewarded.

This was an interesting film with some unusual elements. It's a story in real time and it has some real tension to it. I thought the characters were going to be caricatures, but was pleasantly surprised to find that mostly they were authentic.The film is based on a play, and at times this seemed evident (particularly the weaknesses). But because the story was original and different, it had a freshness and vitality to it.There were some minor contrivances and implausibilities in the first hour that I could easily overlook because of the strength of the performances and the genuine tension. The setting within an all but deserted train carriage was claustrophobic and chilling. For me, the film took a turn for the worse after an hour, that lead to aspects that just didn't ring true.Overall, it was a job well done by Jeremy Sims as first-time director, and worth seeing in one of the best years in Australian cinema for a very long time. There's been a great diversity of interesting stories. From the actors, I found the performances of Steve Le Marquand, Tom Budge and Gillian Jones the strongest. Gigi Edgeley was good but not consistent (perhaps that's the fault of the script).On a final note, for the life of me, I can't understand the Office of Film and Literature Classification's "MA" (equivalent to "R" in the US) on this film. Yes, there is a little violence and coarse language – but with the Hollywood shoot-em-ups that get through on an "M" rating, I can't see why this shouldn't also.