There are a number of good Australian films that have slipped under the radar over the last months, and Beneath Clouds is one of them. It is a fairly bleak road-trip movie that, although complete and whole, will almost certainly leave you pondering, "I wonder what happened next."
Lena (Danielle Hall – winner of the 'Best New Talent Award' at the 2002 Berlin Film Festival) is a young, fair-skinned half Aboriginal, half Irish girl trapped in the small town where she 'lives', unsatisfied by the people around her, mother and stepfather included. Vainly clinging to the notion that her Irish father, now living in Sydney, can, and will, offer her more, she packs her bags and leaves on a bus. It is when the bus pulls out of a roadhouse without her that she crosses paths with Vaughn (Damian Pitt). Vaughn, also Aboriginal, is a very angry young man on the run after escaping from a juvenile justice centre who is attempting to get home to see his dying mother. Home life for Vaughn, like Lena, holds few fond memories, but he seems determined to get there regardless.
As they try to get to Sydney anyway they can, they cross paths with various locals, some less than understanding police, farmers, and some friendly and not-so friendly fellow travellers. Hitchhiking may seem like a bit of an adventure, but it isn't really a good idea girls and boys...
As the film comes to an end, the two young travellers realise they have become quite close, but circumstance and time are not on their side.
Like many road trip films, there is no plot on offer, and it is all best viewed as a snapshot of the lives of the characters. There really is no beginning or end, and what we are seeing is but a glimpse of a bigger picture. The two unknown lead actors are young, but very good. Danielle Hall really cements the loneliness of her character with a very sullen, almost blank-faced delivery, rarely betraying the emotions behind the stoic mask. Damien Pitt manages to keep the anger bubbling under the surface, and the two characters convincingly hide the hurt and desolation they feel. There is also an underlying sense of caution and mistrust between the characters that is emphasised by the frequent silence. A look can say more than words, especially when accompanied by silence.
The supporting cast is fine, though the police are portrayed as utterly racist, brutal and violent thugs. I am sure there are some fair and just cops out there, but they are not present in this film. The direction from Ivan Sen in his first feature film shows great promise.
The desolate scenery and mostly flat landscape compliments the feel of the film, emphasising the lack of opportunity, and the desolation of many small towns, an existence that many bush folk know only too well. The wide open roads and bright blue skies offer up almost as much desolation as this film. It is recommended for lovers of road trip movies, or those who are feeling just a little too good about things and need a dose of someone else’s less fortunate reality.
Beneath Clouds boasts a nice looking transfer and is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, but it is not 16:9 enhanced. What a lovely sharp transfer this is, with great clarity and definition. Colours are brilliant, strong and bright and there are no problems with bleeding or noise. The various shots of the skies at different times of the day look especially fantastic. There is no evidence of grain or dirt of any kind, and a nice clean picture is the result.
There are no marks of any kind in fact, and no other artefacts to report either. There are no problems with shimmer or edge enhancement, and not even a layer change to disrupt proceedings.
Audio-wise there is a choice of Dolby Digital 5.1 or Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo and both are good. The 5.1 makes nice subtle use of surrounds for many of the ambient sounds such as crickets, and are used a lot as cars go whizzing by at high speed on the open roads. There is quite noticeable separation and panning of these sounds that all works well, and it's almost like being on the side of a country road as cars go flying by.
Dialogue is always clear and audible, even if the characters tend to mumble a bit at times. There are no problems with audio synch either, and though most dialogue comes from the centre speaker, full use of all speakers is made to great effect. The minimal score also sounds very good, and this is the only time the subwoofer makes any contribution.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 track is also fine, though it obviously doesn't sound as 'full' as the 5.1. There is very noticeable separation and panning of sound, and being a minimal sound effect and dialogue film is quite passable, with only the ambience of the 5.1 track lacking.
This is a neat little film. The characters are well portrayed, and you can't help but sympathise with them as they struggle to get out of their current situation, knowing full well that it is not going to be an easy task. It is hard to know who they are trying to fool more, each other, or themselves. This isn't really a film you could say you 'enjoyed', as it is a little too downbeat for that, but it is definitely worth a look
