Film review: ‘OF AN AGE’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

Macedonian Australian director Goran Stolevski leapt to the cinema world’s attention with his remarkable, feminist-themed, 2022 supernatural horror film You Won’t Be Alone.

With his latest film, Of an Age, he returns to Melbourne and more contemporary issues as he explores same-sex relationships and the attitudes of Anglo and Eastern European Australians through the burgeoning but awkward romance between two young men, Nikola or ‘Kol’ (Elias Anton) and Adam (Thom Green).  First meeting in 1999 when they collect Adam’s scatty sister and Kol’s dance partner, Ebony (Hattie Hook), the two form a tentative connection.  Verbally sparring with one another about music and literary tastes, they both steadily unveil that the other is gay.  Amid the oppressive homophobia of their late 20th century suburban world, the prospect of a long-term relationship, however, seems untenable.  Even a decade later, though, their feelings haven’t entirely subsided.

It takes a while to warm to this film.  Stolevski’s use of extreme close-ups, jerky camera movements and choppy editing – presumably designed to convey the chaos in Kol’s life – is unsettling and at times a little irritating.  Similarly, the acerbic car ride banter between Kol and Adam that dominates much of the film’s first half feels slightly contrived almost as if we’re watching the two actors workshopping their characters.

Steadily, though, as Kol and Adam let down their guards, they reveal complex and sensitive people with whom we can empathise.  This takes a little too long but as we’re drawn into their relationship, the film delivers some very affecting scenes.  Kol and Adam aren’t entirely convincing throughout but hit the right emotional and dramatic notes when it counts.  The secret weapon in this film, though, is Hattie Hook as Ebony.  She perfectly and hilariously nails selfish, contemptuous, hot mess teen.  A later scene at her wedding reception where she attempts to dance with her clueless bogan husband is one of the funniest in an Australian film for years.

Like many films that try to capture the look, sounds and rhythms of the Australian suburban landscape, this film feels a little clumsy and forced at times but for the most part Stolevski convincingly depicts this world with its shopping malls and streets lined with imposing high voltage power lines.  He also reminds us of how much the world has changed in a seemingly short period with characters just getting used to the internet and still relying on pay phones, Melways guides and cassette tapes; ‘of an age’ has multiple meanings here.

This film doesn’t always work but it eventually draws us in and its best moments are alternately hilarious and deeply moving.

Nick’s rating: ***1/2.

Genre: Drama.

Classification: MA15+.

Director(s): Goran Stolevski.

Release date: 27th Mar 2023..

Running time: 114 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

 

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