A good hearted crowd pleaser that offers undemanding entertainment, The Sapphires tells the story of four aboriginal girls who leave their remote Australian home to sing to American troops in 60s war-torn Vietnam. Originally a stage show in which director Wayne Blair was one of the stars with actress Deborah Mailman, the film's adaptation to the screen struggles to find an effortless authenticity and as a result the narrative occasionally feels clunky and segmented.
By glossing over crucial plot points such as the transformation of the girls from gauche Country singers to polished Soul performers in the mould of The Supremes, the film seems superficial, accentuated by a lack of credibility in many of the Vietnam scenes, which feel contrived. As a consequence, despite many of the assets the film delivers, I was disappointed by what should be a rich and involving experience that promised so much following its selection for Cannes 2012.
The strength of the film lies in the winning performances - especially that of Chris O'Dowd, who brings a lost puppy appeal. He gets star billing and rightly so - his performance as the down-on-his-luck Irish talent quest compere Dave, who promises to mould and shape the girls' career is every bit as good as his acclaimed role in Bridesmaids. He manages to make even the most ridiculous moment feel real - like dancing clumsily by the river with Gail (Mailman) in a scene when it is performance, not script that wins the day.
Post a Comment