If Subversive Rabbit is recommending a drama, you know it’s going to be a good one. And My Year Without Sex is not a good but a great one. This little gem is coming to us from Australia and it features a very distinct atmosphere. It’s heartwarming and intense at times, mostly because of the themes it explores. This is a family drama filled with subtle humor and likable characters. However, the main theme is a very realistic portrayal of life and the hardships that people endure.
It’s so easy to just make a melodramatic commercial milker and be done with it. However, this is not the way Sarah Watt makes movies. As an accomplished director, writer and animator she opted for intelligent and realistic storytelling, without much pandering. Characters are relatable and realistic, although I think they went too much in the “average of the averagiest” direction. A bit of strangeness and authenticity never hurt anyone. And the title is a bit clickbaity but these are all forgivable offences.
The life of one Australian family is completely changed after a routine visit to the hospital. Natalie and Ross along with their two young kids will have to adjust to a new reality. This doesn’t mean that all the other stuff is on pause now because it’s not. We follow them as they navigate the treacherous waters of living ordinary life for exactly one year.
Incredibly dense and always in character, My Year Without Sex also examines the modern relationship (or marriage), under fire from a declining economy and distorted system of values. Not to mention nature itself. It does all this with an upbeat attitude and a sense of humor. It’s full of little things and events, both good and bad, open for discussion and analysis. The approach to all these subjects is subtle and nuanced. Granted, towards the end you get the feeling that everything is a bit too lighthearted. But hey, I would rather watch something like that than a heartwrenching drama. I get enough of that in real life.
We will also have an opportunity to see the lives of ordinary people in Australia. I know that seems kind of boring, but I always like to watch how other countries deal with certain issues and how things work there. Spoiler alert, it’s the same fucking shit as it is everywhere. Excellent acting in combination with an awesome script could not have failed, so there’s nothing left but to check out this hidden treasure from down under.
Director: Sarah Watt
Writer: Sarah Watt
Cast: Sacha Horler, Matt Day, Jonathan Segat, Portia Bradley, Roy Davies, Sonya Suares
Fun Stuff: Sarah Watt has said that after her first film Look Both Ways, she wanted to make a film “without a sex scene”
Rating:
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1245358/
