The Combination – Movie Review
The Combination
The first I heard about The Combination was when fights had broken out at a number of screenings in Sydney between cinema staff and Lebanese-Australian youths. This violence was enough for the movie to be pulled from theatres all over Sydney. I have to admit that when I heard this I thought that it was probably just another violent piece of crap. If it wasn’t for my girlfriends university class going to see it, then I probably would have never gone. It just didn’t seem like the type of movie I would be into. I don’t think I have ever been so turned around on a movie ever.
The Combination is an eye opening drama set in Sydney about the racial tensions between ethnic Australians and Anglo-Australians. The story focuses on the lives of John and Charlie, two brothers living in Guildford in Western Sydney. John (George Basha) has just gotten out of prison. His first item of business is reconnecting with his mother and brother. Though we are never told exactly why he went to prison, we know it was violence related.
His brother Charlie (Firass Dirani, in a stellar performance) is part of a gang of ethnic Australians who beat up Anglos. Charlie and his friend Zeus are recruited by the local drug lord to sell cocaine. Charlie has also started a little race war between the Lebanese-Australian and Anglo-Australian gang at his school by hitting on the girlfriend of a white boy named Scott.
While all this is going on, John falls in love with an Anglo girl named Sydney (Clare Bowen). Her parents don’t like that she is dating a Lebanese guy. John’s mother also thinks that Sydney is not the girl for him. The racial tension from both sides is something that continues to pull them apart throughout the movie.
John finds out about Charlie’s drug dealing and sets about a chain of events to get Charlie out of this bad lifestyle he has created for himself. Has John set Charlie on the path to righteousness or has he condemned him to death? You have to watch the movie to find out.
This movie, on the surface, is a loud comment on racial tension between the different ethnic groups in Australia. When you dig deeper into the film you start to see shades of subtlety that evoke strong opinions and feelings toward race relations in Australia. It was the first time in a long time that I felt an Australian movie had something important to say. It truly holds up a mirror to our society and shows us how we are towards other cultures.
After seeing this movie I am never going to utter the phrase I’m not a racist, but¦. One character in the film says it a few times and it is quite evident that he is racist, even if he means well. It makes him look like an idiot, and I too felt like an idiot because I know I have said it hundreds of times. Also, if you have said this phrase before, you need to see this movie.
A lot of people in the media have been calling this movie Australian History X in reference to its blatant borrowing of themes from American History X. But I think that the similarities between the two films shows that racial tension in local areas is a problem the world over that needs to be discussed. The film also borrows from Boyz N The Hood a little, but I think the influences are what shaped it into a powerful film. Without the connection to the powerful films it is influenced by, some people might not get the connection that racial problems are universal.
The acting is not the best in the world. This movie will never be a blockbuster. George Basha is good in the lead role that he wrote for himself, and Clare Bowen is passable as the white girl that falls for him. But the chemistry between the two is not great. The stand out acting comes from Firass Dirani as Charlie, and I’m sure you will see more of him in the future.
The direction is not great either, at times evoking TV soap aesthetics. The director, David Field (you would have seen him in Chopper as Keithy George) has a long history acting in such TV dramas as Blue Heelers and Blackjack. He does a passable job directing this film, but I don’t see him becoming a great director on the world stage, as is usual for Australian film makers in general.
What The Combination does best is sparks emotion. It is in the public eye for being banned in Sydney because it incites violence among racial groups. I think if people watched this movie and looked at what it is saying, instead of just taking it as entertainment, then we could all be better off. If this movie does evoke violence from someone, then that person does not understand this movie. It is not about white versus black or brown. It is about stupidity versus intelligence. It’s not about which race has more of a right to be in this country. It’s about who is going to live up to the privilege of being alive at all.
If you are Australian, no matter what colour your skin is, you should see this movie.
What do you think? (Cool) shite is known for its racially sensitive stance on all nations. We’re multinationally offensive. Thoughts? Comments? All welcome!
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