FLIRTING (1991) John Duigan’s Flirting is a sequel, technically. That doesn’t mean you have to have seen its predecessor, The Year My Voice Broke, to enjoy it. The connection between the two is that Noah Taylor plays the same character, named Danny Embling, now a few years older and attending a remote boarding school in rural Australia. There he meets Thandiwe (a young and marvelous Thandie Newton), a new student at the neighboring girls’ school who is British-born to Ugandan and Kenyan parents, academics and activists. The film takes place over the course of the school year, tracking the relationship between these two outsiders. Duigan overtly takes on a number of political and social issues regarding Australia, the 1960’s, race and sex. Yet what make the film so enjoyable – what make it the kind of film you’ll return to again and again – are the personal elements. It’s an exhilarating, heartbreaking coming-of-age romance that will make you remember what it’s like to be a teenager, in both good and bad ways. That plus the chance to see great early performances from Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts make this a must-see.
Glad you chose to spotlight this movie. It’s one of my favorite romantic comedies (that’s the correct category, right?)
It follows the same path as a number movies in the category, including; fascination at first site, the awkward/bumbling first date, problems that separate them, and then the eventual reunification.
At no point did I ever feel they turned to hijinks, which might have been easy based on the setting, and the age of the main characters. The problems faced by the characters
seemed to be handled with care, which makes sense because of their age, and the social/political climate of the era.
Also, great performances from Thandie Newton and Noah Taylor. I know Nicole Kidman subsequently became the face of the film for marketing purposes, but she really doesn’t do much here.
I’ve recommended this movie to friends and they’ve all enjoyed it. I hope your readers do too.
Glad you chose to spotlight this movie. It’s one of my favorite romantic comedies (that’s the correct category, right?)
It follows the same path as a number movies in the category, including; fascination at first site, the awkward/bumbling first date, problems that separate them, and then the eventual reunification.
At no point did I ever feel they turned to hijinks, which might have been easy based on the setting, and the age of the main characters. The problems faced by the characters
seemed to be handled with care, which makes sense because of their age, and the social/political climate of the era.
Also, great performances from Thandie Newton and Noah Taylor. I know Nicole Kidman subsequently became the face of the film for marketing purposes, but she really doesn’t do much here.
I’ve recommended this movie to friends and they’ve all enjoyed it. I hope your readers do too.