Plot
The O'Neills lived happily in their house in the Australian countryside. That was until one day fate struck blindly...
Release Year: 2010
Rating: 6.5/10 (1,926 voted)
Critic's Score: 59/100
Director:
Julie Bertuccelli
Stars: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Morgana Davies, Marton Csokas
Storyline The O'Neills lived happily in their house in the Australian countryside. That was until one day fate struck blindly, taking the life of Peter, the father, leaving his grief-stricken wife Dawn alone with their four children. Among them, eight-year-old Simone denies this reality. She is persuaded that her father still lives in the giant fig tree growing near their house and speaks to her through its leaves. But the tree becomes more and more invasive and threatens the house. It must be felled. Of course, Simone won't allow...
Writers: Judy Pascoe, Julie Bertuccelli
Cast: Charlotte Gainsbourg
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Dawn O'Neil
Morgana Davies
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Simone O'Neil
Marton Csokas
-
George Elrick
Christian Byers
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Tim O'Neil
Tom Russell
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Lou O'Neil
Gabriel Gotting
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Charlie O'Neil
Aden Young
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Peter O'Neil
Penne Hackforth-Jones
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Mrs. Johnson
Gillian Jones
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Vonnie
Zoe Boe
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Megan Lu
Bob MacKay
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Ab
Ryan Potter
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Tree Lopper
Murray Shoring
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Council inspector
Taren Stewart
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Lou's friend
Robert Joseph Stewart
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Lou's friend
Opening Weekend: $993,338
(France)
(15 August 2010)
(221 Screens)
Gross: $2,378,574
(Worldwide)
(15 January 2012)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
France:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
About two hundred little girls were auditioned for Simone's role and a thousand fig trees were visited before the perfect one was found.
User Review
Beautiful tale of family and life
Rating: 8/10
After the sudden death of her husband, his wife and four children try
to get on with life in the bush of Northern Australia. It could be a
story overwhelmed by emotion, but yet it play the emotionally side with
more subtlety. The family live in an old house with an enormous Morton
Bay fig next to it and it's this tree that firstly with the young
daughter and then with other family members where they gain the idea
that somehow the spirit of their loved one is inside. The film follows
the family as they move on, but without forgetting the tree and
protecting it at all costs.
Thought the film has a potentially supernatural idea, it doesn't play
out that way, in fact it's quite the opposite. The notion that the tree
contains the spirit is quite charming and leads to some wonderful
encounters for various members of the family. Grief is dealt with in
many ways and for these people this is how they deal with it. The cast
is very fine: Charlotte Gainsbourg is very good as the mother, she is
charismatic and a joy to watch. As is the daughter Simone, played
wonderfully by a superb young actor, she really is something, creating
a funny, touching and realistic portrayal of a young girl who is
dealing with the loss of her Dad. But all the cast is fine creating a
truly real feeling to events that occur.
The film also works for it's use of nature. Australian films set
outside the city are known for their great use of the landscape and
this is no exception. Stunning landscapes and skyscapes fill the screen
and there are other wonderful moments including natures creations, such
as the fruit bat that flies into the kitchen or the frogs in the toilet
and the families attempts to get rid of them. And let's not forget the
tree. It is a huge presence in the film, literally and metaphorically
and could in it's own way be a character, it is a imposing, glorious
and wonderful creation and of course paramount to the story.
The film ends with a bang, but a positive one, a situation that leaves
the family or gives the family a chance to move on, it is almost a
relief and at the same time quite touching. The film as a whole is a
highly enjoyable one, and that doesn't tug on the heart strings with
it's story, instead presenting itself with humour, charm and beauty.
Find more of my reviews at my site iheartfilms.weebly.com
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