Review of Romulus, My Father (2007) by Pat Y — 31 Jan 2010

Romulus, My Father is a harrowing yet fantastic Aussie film that tugs at the heartstrings. Based on the memoirs of Rai Gaita, it features some breathtaking scenery and best of all, fantastic performances.

Set in the 1960's in country Victoria, Raimond Gaita (Kodi Smit McPhee, recently seen as The Boy in The Road) grows up having to witness his German mother (Franka Potente) and father's (Eric Bana) relationship crumble in front of him.

Though on the surface it's hard to see, Romulus, My Father is ultimately about the relationship between father and son. There is not much as far as story goes, but what it does have is plenty of drama and emotion.

It occasionally (at the very smallest of times) sinks into mawkishness, but thats only a minor niggle. The performances in Romulus, My Father are absolutely outstanding. Eric Bana gives a career best as the broken down father Romulus.

Although he doesn't have a hell of a lot of screen time, you really feel for his character more than anyone else. Franka Potente and Martin Csokas are also excellent. But the real star is Kodi Smit McPhee, who gives possibly the best child performance caught on screen.

He never looks for sympathy from the audience, nor does he become mawkish (okay, maybe the one time). He's such a natural performer. It takes a lot to carry a film as a kid, but McPhee does a sublime job.

The turns of violence are timed perfectly by director Richard Roxburgh. The international influence from some of the characters kind of distracts us from the Australian-ness of the film, but that's how the story goes.

The film also has a limited sense of grounding and gravitas, that it isn't as moving as it could, or like to be. These are minor flaws in yet another fine Australian film that deserves to be recognised.