By Tracey Fox
2.5 Stars
WRITTEN and directed by Australian veteran Bruce Beresford – best known for award-winning creations like Breaker Morant and Driving Miss Daisy – The Travellers could have been another great film to add to his collection.
It is a gorgeously set drama taking full advantage of the beautiful Western Australian country town of York and historical parts of Fremantle.
With bonus points for snagging Bryan Brown (Anyone But You, Breaker Morant, Cocktail) to take on the role of the soon to be widowed father in his dotage.
But for a film called The Travellers none of the story (or characters for that matter), tend to go anywhere very important, either physically or spiritually.
The central character Stephen Seary played by Luke Bracey (Elvis, Hacksaw Ridge, Interceptor) is returning to his fictious hometown of Yarrabiddy to be by his mother’s side in her final days.
And also help his father navigate his life without his wife.
Stephen is almost immediately dislikeable, not just because they chose to dress him with a ridiculous jaunty cravat around his neck but he’s just an unlikable chap all around.
He’s not evil or malevolent in anyway, he’s just a bit boring.
He gives off a pretentiously unlikable energy; where all these back-home-country vibes are all just a wee-bit below him.
Now a bigtime opera set designer famed all over Europe, his mother’s passing sees Stephen barely shed a tear.
It seems to be more of a pain in the neck to down tools and interrupt his very important and pressing overseas opera-set designing-obligations.
To fill in the time while he is begrudgingly stuck here he manages to take a quick romp with not just one but two ex-girlfriends, all while managing to juggle his current partner in Europe via the odd zoom meeting without breaking a sweat.
If you’re waiting for Bryan Brown to save the movie, again you’ll be disappointed.
His character isn’t developed much further than: sad lonely, nice old man starting to lose his marbles.
The one scene where he is found scrubbing himself in the shower fully dressed feels more of a brief chuckle moment, than the ominous first signs of dementia.
A side story of a mysterious lover from his past who he may or may not have had an affair with many years ago also goes absolutely nowhere, leaving unanswered questions that leave you pondering why they slipped that angle in there at all.
Not to mention a random character who claims to be a long-lost descendant to Jesus right here in WA.
I had high hopes his character might yield something to the story only for that side quest to evaporate as soon as it was touched on too.
Susie Porter (Mercy Road, Transfusion, Gold) isn’t even given much to contribute as the sister; she’s a feminine balance to the menfolk and their individual journeys.
After sluggishly meandering about for about 90 minutes, the film seems to come to an abrupt end, that just doesn’t really share any great meaning or message to take away, leaving the viewer wondering what the heck happened and why did we need to know about it?
It could have been a better movie as there was a lot of potential but if you enjoy Australian films, with a big-name actor to draw the crowd and stunning use of our beautiful state The Travellers might appeal to you.
