Sundance "Bran Nue Dae"

BRAN NUE DAE-SUNDANCE 2010

Its not every day that you see an aboriginal musical, but that's exactly what Bran Nue Dae is. This is a sweet little movie. At heart, this is a coming of age story about a young man who, after being punished for an act of rebellion at a religious school, sets out on a road trip of self discovery. Along the way, there's singing, dancing, and a hilarious turn by Geoffrey Rush as the stern teacher at the aforementioned religious school. Again, this is a sweet movie, but some of the song and dance numbers lack the energy and all out joy that make movies like Hairspray work so well. On the other hand, Bran Nue Dae deserves props for taking the movie musical to an entirely new destination. This is Australia's answer to Bollywood.