The theme of domestic violence dominates this beautifully crafted mini-series along with stolen generation endured by Aborigines. The racism issue is just in the right amount without it becoming too preachy. The scene where Twig (Purcell) shares a tender moment with other Aboriginal women grieving for her loss is very effective. More of this please instead of the 'white people invaded our country' lecturing.
The complex stories of June, Agnes, Alice, Candy Blue, Twig and Sarah are brought together through their connection to Clem, June's violent son. Weaver does a good job as the matriarch running a flower farm that is also a refuge for women (called flowers) who have escaped domestic violence. Hats off to her for trying to grasp the elusive Australian accent.
Agnes (Cobham-Hervey) is June's daughter-in-law whom the matriarch inadvertently played a role in her demise when June encouraged the courtship with Clem (Vickers) and in marriage, continue to suffer abuse. Her presence is limited but she does deliver as the suffering wife/mother who tries to protect her daughter Alice.
Alyla Browne as young Alice is incredible as the victim of abuse. She captures the innocence, fear and happiness all on her face, especially in her eyes. Alycia Debnam-Carey struggles a little as the grown up Alice because the script thins out from episodes 4 to 6. She runs away from the farm after discovering the secret that June had Oggi (Bennett) deported to Bulgaria so she wouldn't lose Alice to him - this storyline is rather weak. Alice arrives at 'Agnes Bluff' and finds a job as a park ranger where she meets Dylan (Zurita) and falls for him. In between her job, she parties with her colleagues and sees a lot of outback country. Meanwhile Dylan's true character unfolds itself in a predictable kind of way.
The stories are strong enough to stand on their own so there is no need for a lot of the arty inserts. The amount of ariel shots of rugged and beautiful Australiana must have added up to half an episode's worth. The scenes explaining the langauge of flowers should have been emphasised more but they got lost amongst the dozens of ariel shots, music/dance clips and long dreamy sequences, it's all too much and disjointed. Then there are details that are factually inaccurate that should not have been included for the sake of creating impact. Sarah (Keddie) being able to walk freely right into the hospital room where Clem's bagged body lies. Or June's box of evidence of her grandson, Charlie's survival made up of letters and medical records from the hospital's neonatal ICU is just clutching at straws. No medical insitution will ever allow patients or relatives access to medical records, let alone giving them out as keepsakes, period.
The writers did a good job showing the horrors and consequences of domestic violence but they waded a little too much in sending a message that a lot of men are violent or have the potential to be as shown by June's overall reaction to and perception of men, in particular her son and grandson. Yes, she did suffer at the hands of men but this prejudice that violent nature can be passed on to the point she cuts Charlie out of her life when she could have tried to get to know him to understand that he's nothing like Clem, does nothing to help the cause. She's punishing all men regardless.
In June's final narrative she calls for women to speak out so men will not get to "rewrite history or erase women" but it's not as simple as that when there are women who also perpetuates and excuses violent behaviour such as the female senior park ranger siding with Dylan after he attacks Alice because he's good in his job and would be hard to replace. Or that Agnes did next to nothing to protect young Alice and even Lulu (Awosoga) not warning Alice of Dylan's controlling nature until she finds out the hard way. Glaringly obvious is June not checking in on Agnes and Alice when she had suffered Clem's violent outburst herself.
To stop domestic violence, everyone regardless of gender or race need to do their part instead of being a silent bystander wishing it would all go away because it's too hard. It's not just about speaking out but it's also about breaking the chain of violence or preventing it from happening.
The complex stories of June, Agnes, Alice, Candy Blue, Twig and Sarah are brought together through their connection to Clem, June's violent son. Weaver does a good job as the matriarch running a flower farm that is also a refuge for women (called flowers) who have escaped domestic violence. Hats off to her for trying to grasp the elusive Australian accent.
Agnes (Cobham-Hervey) is June's daughter-in-law whom the matriarch inadvertently played a role in her demise when June encouraged the courtship with Clem (Vickers) and in marriage, continue to suffer abuse. Her presence is limited but she does deliver as the suffering wife/mother who tries to protect her daughter Alice.
Alyla Browne as young Alice is incredible as the victim of abuse. She captures the innocence, fear and happiness all on her face, especially in her eyes. Alycia Debnam-Carey struggles a little as the grown up Alice because the script thins out from episodes 4 to 6. She runs away from the farm after discovering the secret that June had Oggi (Bennett) deported to Bulgaria so she wouldn't lose Alice to him - this storyline is rather weak. Alice arrives at 'Agnes Bluff' and finds a job as a park ranger where she meets Dylan (Zurita) and falls for him. In between her job, she parties with her colleagues and sees a lot of outback country. Meanwhile Dylan's true character unfolds itself in a predictable kind of way.
The stories are strong enough to stand on their own so there is no need for a lot of the arty inserts. The amount of ariel shots of rugged and beautiful Australiana must have added up to half an episode's worth. The scenes explaining the langauge of flowers should have been emphasised more but they got lost amongst the dozens of ariel shots, music/dance clips and long dreamy sequences, it's all too much and disjointed. Then there are details that are factually inaccurate that should not have been included for the sake of creating impact. Sarah (Keddie) being able to walk freely right into the hospital room where Clem's bagged body lies. Or June's box of evidence of her grandson, Charlie's survival made up of letters and medical records from the hospital's neonatal ICU is just clutching at straws. No medical insitution will ever allow patients or relatives access to medical records, let alone giving them out as keepsakes, period.
The writers did a good job showing the horrors and consequences of domestic violence but they waded a little too much in sending a message that a lot of men are violent or have the potential to be as shown by June's overall reaction to and perception of men, in particular her son and grandson. Yes, she did suffer at the hands of men but this prejudice that violent nature can be passed on to the point she cuts Charlie out of her life when she could have tried to get to know him to understand that he's nothing like Clem, does nothing to help the cause. She's punishing all men regardless.
In June's final narrative she calls for women to speak out so men will not get to "rewrite history or erase women" but it's not as simple as that when there are women who also perpetuates and excuses violent behaviour such as the female senior park ranger siding with Dylan after he attacks Alice because he's good in his job and would be hard to replace. Or that Agnes did next to nothing to protect young Alice and even Lulu (Awosoga) not warning Alice of Dylan's controlling nature until she finds out the hard way. Glaringly obvious is June not checking in on Agnes and Alice when she had suffered Clem's violent outburst herself.
To stop domestic violence, everyone regardless of gender or race need to do their part instead of being a silent bystander wishing it would all go away because it's too hard. It's not just about speaking out but it's also about breaking the chain of violence or preventing it from happening.