Displaying items by tag: David Cook

HEART OF THE MAN

Australia, 2024, 85 minutes, Colour.

Parker Little, David Cook, Vito Leo, Roxanne McDonald, Sean Dow, Matt Young, Winnie Mzembe, Tyrel Dulvarie.

Directed by David Cook.

A small-budget film from Queensland, written and directed by actor, David Cook, an effective drama but not widely seen.

There is a Brisbane setting, the focus on the indigenous community in the city, especially focused on the world of boxing, training, gymnasium, the hopeful winning titles, disappointments in the past. There is also a focus on the Arts Theatre.

The focus is on 18-year-old Chris, a very effective performance, believable, by Parker Little. We see him in training for a boxing title, coached by his father, Sam, riding his bike while his son runs, going to the gym. The audience is shown various newspaper clips about Sam having a possibility for a title fight but this is not currently about.

There is a back story about Sam, his marrying a white wife, daughter of the head of boxing, send drinking, and his wife been killed in a car accident. He is full of the rooms, some fun times attending the church self-help group. But he is transferred all is ambitions on to his son who, in fact, is skilled at boxing, but is doing the training only to make his father happy.

However, this is not so much a film about boxing is about coming of age and sexual orientation, the audience being alerted when at the gym, Chris notices one of the trainees, an indigenous man, Jamie. Chris had also assorted a white man, gay, calling him a freak. When a close friend of Chris takes into the Arts Theatre, he discovers the manager is the man that he punched. However, the manager sees into Chris, talking with him, Chris apologising, offering him a job, Chris finding himself at home in the theatre as well as in the gay culture.

On the one hand, this is a story of Chris finding his own identity, supported very much by his indigenous grandmother, and his making choices to stand up to his father, on the other, there is a vengeance theme involving Sam’s father-in-law, Sam’s business manager, and a bounty put out on Sam’s life. The story is happily resolved there is violence and upset in the of the story, eventually moving towards a peaceful ending.

Heart of the Man could be a helpful film parents and gay-oriented children to see and discuss.

1. The title, as explained by the father, the truth of the heart, honest identity and acceptance?
2. The Brisbane setting, homes, and gyms, bars, the arts Theatre? The musical score?
3. The aboriginal community in Brisbane, families, relationships, the boxing world, titles, the contrast with the theatre world? The generations? What-indigenous families?
4. The introduction to Chris, his age, running, pushing himself, tired, the encounter with Joey and bumping him, calling them freaks, punching? The screenplay going back in time, Chris at home, with his father, Sam, his father catching him, riding the bike, Chris and his running? The gym the training? The possibility for the title fight? His father wanting it, the indications from the newspapers of the past, Sam’s possibilities, not achieving, the death of his wife, his hopes for his son?
5. Chris, the death of his mother, the visits to his grandmother and her support? At the gym, the encounter with Jamie, audiences alerted to issues of sexual identity? The effect on Chris?
6. His friendship with Marcus, Marcus and his friend, sexuality, bisexuality, Chris a surprise? The taking him to the theatre? The impact of the performance, the actors and issues of identity, honesty, love? The effect on him? And the encounter with Joey and his friend, the surprise, shame?
7. Return to the theatre, the apology to Julie, Joey taking on, the discussion, implications of sexuality, offering him the job, Chris returning, sweeping up, going on stage, the week, Christine, the dancing? Chris and honesty about himself?
8. The background, Sam and his marrying his wife, quiet, daughter of the boxing manager? His drinking, the accident, his responsibility for the death of his wife? His father-in-law and the enmity? His ambitions for boxing title, wanting now for his son? His visits to his mother and conversations? Her challenges?
9. Bentley, the manager, friendships, arranging the bout, Sam with the gun forcing him, the manager and his henchmen, the pressure on Bentley to destroy Sam? And the hold over his mother? Bentley at the bar, his dilemma, friendship with Sam, going to the house, the gun, confronting him, the memories of the past? The head arriving, (the black and white flashbacks of Sam and the boss and training)? The threats, the blindfold, the henchmen to shoot Sam? The boss of the change, venting his anger and memories of the past, the knife, stabbing same, mentally moving, the upset, the shot, the death of the boss? Bentley and his injuries?
10. Chris and Jamie, Jamie upset, Chris and the reconciliation, the truth of his relationship? Define his father, his father coming to the theatre, upset, Chris standing his ground, leaving home, the passing of three months, with Jamie, training at the theatre, singing, the dinner with Marcus and friend?
11. His visit to his grandmother, her understanding that he was different, encouraging him for his identity, standing up to his father? His define his father, saying he did not want to box?
12. Visiting his father in hospital, trying to speak with him? The final performance, the week, Christine, his coming on stage, his father coming to the theatre and looking at him? The abrupt ending – and the audience supplying what would happen in the future?