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Mad Bastards

Play trailer Poster for Mad Bastards 2011 1h 36m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 17 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
A police officer wants to make things better for the men in his community as three generations of Australians journey toward manhood.

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Mad Bastards

Critics Reviews

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Jim Schembri The Age (Australia) 06/16/2011
4.5/5
Mad Bastards is this year's Samson & Delilah; it bravely explores a host of hot-button issues with a deft blending of humour, sensitivity and often brutal frankness. Go to Full Review
Paul Byrnes Sydney Morning Herald 05/04/2011
4/5
This is poised and meaningful Australian cinema, however we classify it. Go to Full Review
David Rooney The Hollywood Reporter 02/08/2011
There's yearning as well as stubborn emotional isolation and anger in these characters, and any harshness in the observations of this richly satisfying film invariably is balanced by warmth. Go to Full Review
Travis Johnson sbs.com.au 09/13/2021
Contrasts stunning outback landscapes with a raw, observational approach to its characters and their situations, the result being a heady mix of the epic and intimate. Go to Full Review
Lynden Barber Limelight 01/03/2018
There's no denying the film has real heart, buoyed by surprisingly strong performances from a mostly inexperienced cast who drew on their own lives in creating their characters. Go to Full Review
Glenn Dunks Onya Magazine 10/17/2013
B-
Fletcher has done a great job with Mad Bastards and should be especially commended for getting the performances out of these non-actors. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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harsh c 06/16/2018 Like a 90 minute long music video sprinkled with a few minutes of drama See more 12/10/2016 Leisurely-paced study of the plight of the Aboriginal people of Australia. See more 05/29/2014 Brendan Fletcher and his Aboriginal cast deliver a film both beautiful and tragic but, most importantly, one that leaves viewers with a sense of hope. The film doesn't hold back in depicting some of the horrors confronting Aboriginal people living in remote Australia but it also portrays the resilience and humour which so characterise the survival of Aboriginal people in a hostile and racist Australia. Unlike so many other films in the genre of Aboriginal despair Mad bastards leaves hope and even optimism in its wake. See more 01/30/2014 A solid independent film, Mad Bastards was an entry into the 2011 Sundance Festival, and is a great character study. The film tells the story of a violent estranged father, TJ, who goes on a journey to reunite with his son Bullet. Along the way, he meets various characters and learns to let go of his violence. In the meantime, his son is struggling due to the poor parenting he's received, and his only role model is his grandfather, the town cop. What international viewers may not pick up on is the extreme reality that this story has in relation to the lifestyles and socioeconomic issues facing the indigenous population of Australia. While unflinchingly displaying these problems, it also shows situations that can be quite daunting to a white man in Australia (such as a group of Aboriginals blocking the road, which unfortunately has a reputation to mean that they will try to rob you or steal the car) to be quite harmless some of the time. A solid debut for director Brendan Fletcher. See more 08/31/2012 Amazing movie, great storyline, plot, characters. The ending was pretty relaxing, leaving with a feeling of comfort. Uncle Black was a great guy, wish I could meet him. See more 12/15/2011 While it tackles tough material, the terrific lead performances, stunning cinematography and uplifting score add up to a film that's pretty special. See more Read all reviews
Mad Bastards

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Movie Info

Synopsis A police officer wants to make things better for the men in his community as three generations of Australians journey toward manhood.
Director
Brendan Fletcher
Producer
Alan Pigram, Stephen Pigram, David Jowsey, Brendan Fletcher
Screenwriter
Brendan Fletcher
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 10, 2017
Runtime
1h 36m
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