Peaches (2004)

Steph, a dyslexic teenager girl lost her parents in a car accident while still a baby. She was adopted and raised by her parents' best friend, Jude, an over-protective woman. She never left... See full summary »

Director:

Craig Monahan

Writer:

Sue Smith

Stars:

Emma Lung, Hugo Weaving, Jacqueline McKenzie

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Emma Lung	...	Steph
Hugo Weaving	...	Alan
Jacqueline McKenzie	...	Jude
Matthew Le Nevez	...	Brian
Sam Healy	...	Jass (as Samantha Healy)
Tyson Contor	...	Johnny
Catherine Lambert	...	Kath
Giang Le Huy	...	Thuy
Felicity Electricity	...	Sandy
Poh Ling Yeow	...	Chen Poh (as Ling Yeow)
Caroline Mignon	...	Maria (as Caroline Mignone)
Duncan Hemstock	...	Kenny Carter
Ed Rosser	...	Grandpa
Peter Michell	...	Dave
Adrian Shirley	...	Thommo (as Adrian Shirle)

Storyline

Steph, a dyslexic teenager girl lost her parents in a car accident while still a baby. She was adopted and raised by her parents' best friend, Jude, an over-protective woman. She never left her small coastal town. She receives her dead mother's locked diary on her 18th birthday, the same day she starts work at the local peach cannery, and begins dual journeys, one pushing into the mysterious past and the other pursuing romantic complications in the present. An amazing and captivating story unfolds to her many years ago and she learns about the past of her family and reveals secrets that no one was ready for. She learns about her mother Jass, her father Johnny, and about the difficulties of love with her the foreman Alan, a married man. Also she learns Jude's colorful, sexy secrets with Alan that allow Steph to reinvent her vision of the world.

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Plot Keywords:

orphan | diary | teenage girl as protagonist | peaches | coming of age | 

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Taglines:

The past is not past

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Of the relationship between Jude (Jacqueline McKenzie) and Alan (Hugo Weaving), the latter said: "I think it is a very complex relationship. Obviously, they were in love with each other, and wanted to be together, but they had conflicting desires. When Jude was a younger woman, she wanted to get out of town with Jass (Samantha Healy) but Alan wanted to stay in town. He was married to the politics he was involved in and the cannery itself. It was probably a relationship that could never have gone very far, particularly after Jass and Johnny (Tyson Contor)'s death. It's a pretty fiery relationship but you don't see much of that fire it sits underneath the surface."

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Connections

Referenced in Peaches: Interviews (2006)

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Soundtracks

Cannery Cava;cade
Performed by Phil Buckle and David Hirschfelder

User Reviews

Austcrit, where are your manners?

How you could say that Peaches, with its complex narrative dealing with a multitude of issues, is "a small TV idea" is beyond me. Besides I can think of many films that have "a small TV idea" in their plots. Your obvious dislike of the TV industry (" Sue Smith has failed to rise above her television background") is confusing. particularly as you are having such "a great time" working in TV. If only we could all be so talented as Ms Smith (no, I am not a friend or relative) - AFI award winning Brides of Christ, Road from Coorain,etc. All made for TV. Come to think of it, what about those other "small TV ideas" like "Against the Wind", "Bodyline", "The Dismissal", "Scales of Justice", "Blue Murder", "Water under the Bridge" ,etc. I think Peaches is a good entertaining film which had me interested, and most of my friends as well, from start to finish. It is far from flawless yet I think it is among the best Australian films I have seen over the last couple of years. Who knows, with a few more viewings (there's so much to think about), it might just be up there with classics like "The Year My Voice Broke", "The Devil's Playground". I really did enjoy this film much more than "Somersault" and "Three Dollars". These films, I think, had their moments-surreal, atmospheric, realistic and dealing with important contemporary issues, but as for sheer entertainment for mr.and mrs average movie goer and me, it was very ordinary if not boring. When I go to a movie, I am always conscious of the audience's reaction to a film (through in- cinemas reactions and overheard conversations in the foyer and loo). Some came out of Peaches shaking their heads, some with negative criticisms, but many seemed to have enjoyed the experience.

Details

Official Sites:

Umbrella Entertainment [Australia]

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 June 2005 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Matomena mystika

Filming Locations:

Renmark, South Australia, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

AUD5,500,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$215,283

Company Credits

Production Co:

Peach Films Pty. Ltd., Silverscreen Films, Pointblank Pictures

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1