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The
Waiting City
REVIEWER
– MARTHA-ANN MILLER
When
an Australian couple travel to India to pick up their adopted baby,
things do not go according to plan. What starts out simply with the
loss of luggage soon turns into something darker when the outwardly
happy couple’s relationship begins to unravel as unexpected delays
in the adoption see them waiting in the city of Kolkata. As the
intoxicating mystic power of the city pulls them in separate and
unexpected directions the flaws in their marriage show and deep
secrets are exposed and hurts revealed. And as their relationship
spirals downwards, an unexpected event helps them to come to terms
with who they are, and why they have travelled to India in the first
place.
The
Waiting City has been filmed entirely in Kolkata, India. The
city is dirty and ragged yet is filled with bright, vibrant colours –
in stark contrast to the relationship between Ben (Joel Edgerton) and
Fiona (Radha Mitchell) which appears stagnated and muddy. Although
filmed in India, The Waiting City still manages to maintain a
distinctly Australian voice – but in such a way that it contrasts
beautifully with the Indian backdrop.
Both
Radha Mitchell and Joel Edgerton give stunning performances as the
couple torn between their desire for a child and their need to
reconnect with each other. The Indian characters are fully formed as
distinctive people – there are no caricatures or clichéd
characters as can sometimes happen in Australian films. Samrat
Chakrabarti, is particularly good as Krishna – what is he up to,
can he be trusted? And despite its title, The Waiting City
won’t have the audience waiting for something to happen – its
pace is steady as it follows Ben and Fiona’s declining relationship
and their exploration of the different culture they find themselves
in.
Written
and directed by Claire McCarthy, The Waiting City is a
wonderful exploration of what it means to be in a relationshipt, and
what the definition of a ‘mother’ is – can a woman be a mother
if she did not give birth to her child? Throughout the film, Ben and
Fiona struggle to find a way to stay together even though their
relationship seems to be falling apart. The ending is unexpected and
very moving – and as with anything that ends, there is a new
beginning. Ultimately, The Waiting City is about waking up to
the possibility that a person can be spiritually whole and happy
despite his or her past. This is another beautiful Australian film.
Release
date: 15th July 2010
Rating:
M
Length:
108 minutes
Cast:
Radha Mitchell, Joel Edgerton, Isabel Lucas, Samrat Chakrabarti
Screenplay:
Claire McCarthy
Director:
Claire McCarthy
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