Oranges and Sunshine (2010)

Simply Perfect

Just perfect...

Great Film overall

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

A technically well made film of a deeply shameful episode in the history of UK government, social workers and charities, most of whom have yet to learn the necessity of transparency or accountability. But the central character of Margaret is portrayed as a self satisfied, self righteous prig. Was she really like this? When accused by a female receptionist of lying, she states categorically "I do not tell lies, ever." Really? She is the only human being in history to achieve this feat.It was exactly that arrogant, delusional attitude which helped lead to the problem this film shows, and it's still appallingly common amongst the so-called professionals in the social work and policing fields. (A recent example in the UK was the widespread ignoring of teenage girls who got caught up in sex rings.) Margaret never displays inappropriate feelings and acts entirely in accordance with 21st century mores - not those of the 1980s. Ultimately, this is a Disneyfied version of what must have been a much more problematic and complex story. It feels nothing like reality.For example: the meeting at the Christian Brothers' house is presented with The Great Saint Margaret sitting on high in judgement over the inferior beings who are just trying to eat a simple meal. We are not told which, if any, of those men committed any of the heinous crimes against children many years previously. This is dreadful film making and very dishonest. I cannot believe that this woman could have been so self-denying - it would have made her unbearable to live with.

Oranges and Sunshine is listed as a drama on IMDb but surely it should also be listed as a biography. In fact, as my summary suggests, this movie can hardly be described as "entertainment." It is excellent viewing that will shock those viewers who have led comfortable, sheltered lives in the bosoms of their loving families. They will certainly be educated but entertained...No!One has to presume that Emma Watson spent time with her character Margaret Humphreys before shooting began and so to criticise her performance as "lack lustre" or (as one reviewer uncharitably put it) "like a corpse" is hardly justified since I would prefer to think that, as a true professional, she played her part with accuracy. That is, by the way, NOT to say that Margaret Humphreys was lacking in dedication. She obviously had a very difficult job at the time and, when her superior at Nottingham Social Welfare told her that she could have twice the time she asked for to address a problem that, until Margaret uncovered it, hardly anyone even knew about, her mild but obviously thankful expression spoke volumes. And that, Carronna, is what acting is all about!!As Len (David Wenham) told Margaret, she could never really know the full story because she hadn't been a part of it. Yet it was very obvious to me that the real Margaret Humphries had an innate empathetic understanding of what she was dealing with and Emma Watson portrayed that with delicate poise. Also, Margaret's husband Merv (Richard Dillane) must have been not only very much in love with his wife but also trusted her absolutely implicitly knowing that she was on the other side of the world working with men who had been devastated (and were understandably thus highly dependent). Not once did he question her loyalty to their marriage but, rather, was as supportive as he could possibly have been. I hope it won't be deemed a "spoiler" but, near the end of the movie, when Margaret's young son was asked what he was going to give everyone for Christmas and simply answered, "My Mum" I couldn't stop the tears.Interestingly, just a couple of weeks before seeing Oranges and Sunshine, I watched a Sunday Night TV documentary item about the abuses suffered at a Queensaland Christian Brothers' Boystown institution which has started an inquiry into what went on there. And the abused men in Oranges and Sunshine were exactly like those interviewed in the documentary - and THAT was scary! Those filth masquerading as Christians should, in my uncharitable opinion, be scourged just like Jesus was as portrayed in Mel Gibson's Psssion Of The Christ - and that would be too good for them! What is worse, it is NOT "history" - it still happens! Actually, I'm amazed that the powerful Roman Catholic Church didn't mange to get this movie squashed!I have said this about a number of movies in the past and I say it again about Oranges and Sunshine - it should be compulsory viewing for all bureaucrats and Catholics and recommended for everyone else!

I signed up just to be able to review this movie. I don't think I can expressed the right words to describe how much this movie touched me, but I shall try...I love Australian movies, so when I saw the ad on TV for Oranges and Sunshine, I quickly pressed the record button, especially since there were quite a number of my favorite Australian actors in it (David Wenham, Hugo Weaving..just to name a couple)I had not heard of the Forgotten Children, as it was just before my time, but it is truly a horrifying story for any individual, especially to those who are parents (like myself). Orphaned children, between the ages of 8-15, were illegally deported to Australia from the UK, where they were neglected and abused in orphanages and children's homes. Many years later, a social worker in the UK discovers about these children,and discovers that quite a number of them weren't actually orphans, and their families had been searching for them for years. The social worker makes it her mission to reunite as many families as possible, or at least try to answer some questions of identity.You ride the roller-coaster of emotions with every case. These actors gave the best performances of their lives, in my opinion, especially Hugo Weaving. You could 100% believe that he was a man who is broken and scattered from his past-experiences and questions about himself.The most gut-wrenching, and nerve-wrecking part of the movie was when Len (David Wenham) and Margaret (Emily Watson) made a trip to Bindoon, where a church organisation known as "The Brothers" were notoriously abusive. During their visit, there is a montage of interviews with other men who suffered during their time there. I was sobbing like a baby. It is this very scene that I feel best explains why she couldn't give up on these people.This is a movie I think everyone should see. I certainly enjoyed it so much more that I thought I would (as much as you can enjoy movies of this kind, of course) It should have won many more awards than it did!

First, i want to say that i found the film slow. In fact, i had the feeling that nothing happened during the whole movie, or almost. There wasn't any poignant scene except when a man wanted to kill her or whatever. It was extremely sad, slow and murky so i've nodded of for a while. I think the film maker did not give us poignant and powerful moments. Furthermore, i think the story of the film is very interesting : thousands of children stolen from England to Australia, the secret identity of their families, distress, the truth distorted by the British government, and so on... But i think a few aspects were sloppy and that's why i didn't find "Oranges and Sunshine" top-notch. But all the film wasn't bad, on one hand the cast was good and the lead role of Margaret Humphreys was the perfect for Emily Watson, in fact the acting is enjoyable. On the other hand, i think it was not emotional and explosive enough. All in all, you can go out and watch the film if you have some time to lose.