South Solitary (2010)

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Thank you Shirley Barrett for writing and directing this movie because you have created a masterpiece. I begin to live in 1928 when I watch this movie. I feel I can step into the screen, help Meredith unpack her belongings and set-up my room in that lovely old house, put the kettle on, and walk outside in that bitterly cold air. I wear the scratchy woollen coat that Meredith wears, the hand knitted woollen vest, the skirt, and loose thick stockings bunching up at the ankles. I look at Mr Fleet (the exceptional Marton Csokas) and am drawn to his shy wounded persona, his awkwardness, and his pain. This movie is astonishing because It draws me into the time of these characters (like no other movie can). I have watched this movie about 8 times and I never tire of it. It was in this movie that I first saw Csokas. I couldn't believe how surpub his performance was. I asked, who is this incredible actor? I have since watched him in many movies and his capacity to express vastly different personalities in every role is just stunning. What an observer of human behaviour and non-verbal communicator! The isolation, the cold, the children, the lonely residents, and those who choose to be alone - the depiction is so real and so true, you feel like you are intruding in conversations. The pace is right, and the music so suited to the telling of the story, and so sublime, that I bought the soundtrack too. I wrote this review because there are so many award winning movies that are appalling, ('la la land' comes to mind), yet masterpieces like this one are overlooked. If you enjoy a love story with warm, gentle characters who are very real (imperfect), if you enjoy the thought of isolation and staring at the wind-swept seascape like in a Bronte novel, and if you like to gently explore the personality of someone you find increasingly fascinating - this movie is truly for you.

South Solitary is an Australian story told on a small canvas - a lighthouse off the Victoria coast. The cast of isolated characters makes for often intense, often comic, interactions overlaid by the propriety of 1920s manners. The domineering father and lighthouse keeper played by Barry Otto tries to impose his will on his niece and domestic servant Meredith (Miranda Otto) and on the two assistant keepers. The story revolves around Meredith as her back story is slowly revealed. Her growing friendship with the war damaged assistant keeper, Fleet, consumes the second half of the film but there is no Hollywood ending here. There is superb acting even among the children. The Ottos are two of Australia's finest actors but don't get the recognition overseas they deserve because they do not seek "stardom". Miranda did, however, play in the Lord of the Rings. The music is a character in the story on its own setting the mood without overwhelming.We were playing the CD long before we saw the movie.

A man and his niece, Meredith, arrive on a remote island where a light house is situated and he is to serve as the new head lighthouse keeper ("head keeper" for short). Already serving on the island are 2 keepers: A man named Harry who has a wife and 3 children; a young girl and 2 boys a few years older. Harry is sociable; a smooth chatterbox with a bit of mischief and slyness in his humor and overall personality. The second keeper is a man named Fleet who is the opposite of Harry. So he's a man of few words who likes to keep to himself. As well, he seems to be wrestling with some painful issue concerning a war he served in; an issue that on occasion causes him to become delusional and behave oddly (problematic when it occurs on his watch).Newly arrived, Meredith encounters some resentment on the part of Harry's wife, Alma, who feels he was unfairly passed over for the job of head keeper though she assures Meredith that she does not blame her personally. Alma comes across as strong and hard-working; someone who has her hands full all the time (Well why not? She has 3 children and maybe to some extent a fourth in her husband). She is no-nonsense and blunt and one has the impression that she is not a good enemy to make.Just before encountering Alma, Meredith immediately befriends Nettie, Harry and Alma's little girl, by allowing the child to care for a lamb she brought to the island with her. This makes Alma happy. She is a somewhat enigmatic child; and so one get's the impression that one has to be wary or tactful around her lest one say the wrong thing and she goes scurrying off to plot your untimely end (just kidding). In contrast, we do not get as good a look at her 2 brothers; only enough to determine that they are 2 scamps.On his part, Meredith's uncle Wadsworth wastes no time laying down the law. Essentially saying to his subordinates, "It will not be business as usually. You are irresponsible slackers (the light in the light house was reported out a few times by passing ships). Your conduct will go on record. Shape up, or ship out." So we learn early in that Uncle Waddy has no sense of humor. All business all the time. Old guy treats Meredith likes she's JUST an employee (she actually is; a secretary of sorts) and not also his niece. Their relationship is formal; more so on his side since Meredith is friendly by nature. She also has a weakness in her character suggested by this friendliness which leads to tragedy.What to say about Meredith herself? My impression of her is of a friendly, out-going, out-reaching person. This per se or by itself is not a bad thing. But we come to understand that at the root of this friendliness is "neediness". So she's not only reaching out to you, but "pulling you in" as well to be used as a crutch of some sort; to compensate for something lacking. Perhaps a certain level of self-sufficiency that comes with maturity; the ability to deal with being alone sometimes. Meredith is not a bad person but her neediness is very strong. We see this symbolically in the baby lamb she brought to the island clutched to her bosom. This neediness can lead to thoughtlessness and selfishness wherein assuaging one's own need, or in Meredith's case, her "sense of loneliness", takes priority over all else; her sense of honor and decency; her responsibility to others.I won't spoil it for you by saying much more. I believe I've given enough hints on how Meredith's flawed character; her neediness (appearing outwardly as excessive friendliness and kindness) get's her into trouble. This movie has a laid back pace. There's no "high drama" until around the middle, or so. And that only translated into raised voices, Meredith crying, and some leaving the island. In a nutshell, no one stabbed or shot anyone, ---or held anyone for ransom (Damn it!). Anyone who likes "relationship drama" will enjoy it much more, I think. Possibly women more than men, though I don't want to stereotype. Love, Boloxxxi.

The new Australian romantic drama South Solitary is beautifully filmed, nicely acted, but is ultimately a rather dull and vaguely unsatisfying experience. This is the first film from director Shirley Barrett in over a decade. Barrett's debut film Love Serenade was a vaguely disappointing story of love, loneliness and desperation set in rural Victoria, and established her reputation. There are a few thematic similarities with her third film, South Solitary, which is a claustrophobic tale of love, loneliness and desperation set in on a remote windswept island off the coast of Australia in 1927. Wadsworth (Barry Otto) is a veteran of the lighthouse service who has been sent to the remote South Solitary lighthouse to bring the staff into order after several complaints have been lodged by passing ships. He is accompanied by his niece Meredith (Miranda Otto), an unmarried 35-year-old woman, who has never found a man in her life since her fiancé perished in WWI. The family living on the island are initially resentful of their presence because they assumed that Harry (Rohan Nichol) would be automatically promoted. However, the isolation soon begins to take its toll on the desperate, love-lorn Meredith and her demanding uncle. Psychologically damaged World War One veteran Fleet (Marton Csokas) is another regular worker at the lighthouse, and he does not quickly warm to the pair either. And Meredith's affair with the womanizing Harry further complicates the dynamics of the small group. The performances of the key cast are very good. This is the first time that Barry Otto and his Miranda Otto have appeared together on film since Dead Letter Office in 1998, and their dynamic adds to their relationship. Miranda is strong as the psychologically scarred and love-lorn Meredith. Csokas is good as the withdrawn Fleet who has his own emotional baggage to deal with. Barrett's low-key direction keeps everything understated here. South Solitary is deliberately paced, and not a lot happens in the first hour and the running time could have been trimmed by at least 20 minutes. There are few dramatic moments to hook the audience in. Nor does the film really tap into the psychological implications of the isolated setting for the characters. The film has been stunningly shot on location at lighthouses near Point Nelson and Cape Otway, by cinematographer Anna Howard. These isolated locations certainly help underscore some of the film's main themes. But the film is ultimately something of a disappointment. While not quite another typically down beat and grim local drama, South Solitary is nonetheless a moody and largely low key drama that will struggle to find an audience.