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The Sapphires


Director: Wayne Blair
Starring: Chris O'Dowd, Deborah Mailma,n Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell, Tory Kittles, Eka Darville
Production company: Goalpost Pictures
Music by: Cezary Skubiszewski
Release date: 19 May 2012 (Cannes), 9 August 2012 (Australia), 22 March 2013 (United States)

Plot: In 1968 Australia, Gail and Cynthia head into town to sing at a talent contest. Their younger sister, Julie, is forbidden from going, in part because of her youth and in part because she already has a child, but she bribes a fellow neighbour to take her to the contest. An alcoholic Irish talent scout, Dave Lovelace, is scolded by his boss for being late despite him sleeping in his car that is near work. Despite being the best act in the contest, the girls not only do not win, but are told to leave. Dave recognises their talent and is told that the troops need singers for Vietnam. After presenting these facts to the sceptical singers, Dave makes a call and tells them they have been granted a spot to audition in Melbourne.

The Sapphires are a success with the crowds, but infighting among the women threatens to tear the group apart: Gail acts as the group's overbearing matriarch; Cynthia begins a relationship with a member of their military escort in the aftermath of her break-up; Kay struggles with her multiethnic identity while being courted by an Army medic; and Julie is having difficulty processing the reality of war. Dave and Gail begin to show feelings for each other, but his reckless behaviour and a personal secret push Gail's patience to the limit.

The group travels without military escort to a venue where a renowned US talent scout will be in attendance, primarily to see Julie, the group's one great voice. Angered about these events, Cynthia vamps during the first show, drinking with some of the men, and is told by Gail she will not be allowed to go on again. Before the next show begins, Dave hands Gail her a letter and tells her to open it later; they are about to kiss when the base is attacked. After getting Gail and Cynthia to a helicopter, Dave goes back to find the others, and Gail sees him get shot. Kay and Julie are able to leave on the medi-vac of Kay's boyfriend, where a dying White soldier makes a racist comment to Kay's boyfriend as he tries to attend to the White soldier's mortal wounds.

Review: The story tells of an Irish entertainer who sees potential in the young Friends and agrees to sign them up to entertain the American Troops stationed in Vietnam. He does insist they sing soul music instead of the country music they were used to oddly to sing "soul music". As it turns out Dave seems to have a better understanding of Soul Music than he does of Music in general.

Through their journeys the young girls learn about family, love, friendship, war and belonging. The girls at first enjoy a feeling of liberation as they explore the safer areas of Vietnam. This is painfully followed by the confrontation of the darker realities of the war. Maimed and wounded soldiers no old than they were, as well as civilians, women and children, hostages to the military forces constantly fighting; There is a growth in the maturity that comes at a painful price. But through the pain grows a respect for the beauty of life.

A truly remarkable coming of age movie well worth watching.

M J Flack