AMY

“A genuinely uplifting and memorable film, Amy has everything you could want from a movie experience; a script that is at once involving, moving and funny, outstanding performances, complex characters and great production values. As Louise says, there are a couple of little holes, but nothing damaging. The essence of the story relies on the psychological damage referred to clinically as post traumatic stress disorder, but the impact of the story relies on the quality of filmmaking – which is exemplary. Not only is the structure dramatically satisfying, revelations teased out for best effect, but the support characters and side-plots are all valuable additions to the mood and feel. Susie Porter’s oddball sister to Mendelsohn’s restrained, astutely judged Robert is a standout, as is Frank Gallacher’s small but thoroughly enjoyable turn as a good doctor. I agree with Louise about young Jeremy Trigatti, too, a natural young actor whose fortune would be sealed with this outing if this were a Hollywood movie. (It still might be….) Griffiths, while making her character a tad too unsympathetic for much of the film, shows her power here, and Alana de Roma is as exciting a find as Shirley Temple must have been (although her voice is more like a young Judy Garland). The flashbacks of the rock concert are stunning, the production design excellent and the music – including stuff that Mendelsohn gets to strum – first rate.”
Andrew L. Urban

“Amy is a film about childhood, loss, music and motherhood, all packaged together in a variety of beautifully enveloped styles. This could have been a disaster, but writer David Parker has treaded very carefully, giving audiences a credible glimpse into an astonishing young character. As Amy begins to open her feelings, her world goes from darkness to light, from silence to music, and it all seems a natural progression. Amy, under the imaginative and assured direction of the remarkable Nadia Tass, is both emotive and funny, one that gives us a complete arc in this character's life, exposing audiences to some profound themes without hammering them. Here is a wise yet exhilarating journey into childhood, a detailed exploration of grief and music that all blends together perfectly. Tass, a true actor's director, adds breadth and scope to Parker's characters through her adeptness at casting and working well with her actors. Newcomer Alana De Roma is a revelation, a child with the maturity to convey the complexities of her pent-up emotional struggle to come to terms with her father's death. She also sings in the film, with the voice of an angel. It's a sublime piece of work. Not since Muriel's Wedding has Rachel Griffiths had so much to work with as she does here, and she is superb, conveying the angry, protective, soul-searching mother, with rich and detailed clarity. Ben Mendelsohn, too, is at his best as the caring musician. There's a scene-stealing performance by Susie Porter as Mendelsohn's kooky sister seeking revenge on her hairdresser. There is a mystical, fairy tale quality about Amy, yet it all seems very grounded and honest at the same time, a rare combination but one that works. Charming, funny, imaginative and deeply human, Amy is a shining gem of a film, an irresistible entertainment that deserves a wide audience.”
Paul Fischer