DOWNRIVER is a dark Aussie movie with a number of gay characters, but not what I would call a Gay movie otherwise.  Not a movie that I will ever watch again or recommend to others as an enjoyable night’s viewing.

The cast were exceptional in their performances, but the story was slow, depressing and had some obvious holes.  We need movies with some magic, some style instead of all this dark, brooding arty indulgence.

Sometimes writing and directing your own movie can be a risk because it can become self-indulgent and many of the checks and balances of bigger productions are not there, but then there are some crap Hollywood movies that should never have been funded as well.  This movie was funded by a number of big Australian film finance groups and I question why they would finance a gay movie that is so dark and adds nothing to the GLBTIQ legacy.  It must be about who you know.  Dare I say it, my partner and I have recently written stories that would make far more engaging Aussie Gay movies but how the hell do we get from here to where they did to get the financing and get our stories out there to uplift many, many in our community and beyond, rather than this movie that uplifted no-one?

4 Champagnes out of 10.

AUS:

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/drama/downriver/310301/

UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Downriver-DVD-Reef-Ireland/dp/B01J4805E4/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=michaelyounga-21&linkCode=w00&linkId=e0d9e4b5719075e9a05397377019544d&creativeASIN=B01J4805E4