Look Both Ways (2005)

During one unusually hot and tragic weekend, four people struggle after hearing some life-changing news, this in turn brings them together.

Director:

Sarah Watt

Writer:

Sarah Watt

Stars:

Mary Kostakidis, Justine Clarke, Daniela Farinacci

22 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mary Kostakidis	...	SBS Newsreader
Justine Clarke	...	Meryl Lee
Daniela Farinacci	...	Julia
Robbie Hoad	...	Rob (as Rob Hoad)
William McInnes	...	Nick
Leon Teague	...	Doctor
Andrew S. Gilbert	...	Phil
Anthony Hayes	...	Andy Walker
Elena Carapetis	...	Maria
Tamara Lee	...	Policewoman (as Tamara Lees)
Andreas Sobik	...	Train Driver
Lisa Flanagan	...	Anna
Irena Dangov	...	Train Driver's Wife
Jacquelynne Willcox	...	Current Affairs Reporter
Laura Peisley	...	Emily

Storyline

On a Friday after a horrific train crash, three newsmen in Adelaide must take stock: Nick, a photojournalist, learns he has cancer; Andy, a writer with two children who has a bad relationship with his ex, learns his girlfriend Anna is pregnant; Phil, an editor, realizes he's missing his children's growing up. That afternoon, Meryl, an artist who illustrates sympathy cards and constantly imagines disasters, witnesses a train accident kill a man. At the crash site, she meets Nick, and a relationship flowers over the next three days which makes them both question their lives, wants and needs. Nick's mother, Andy's kids and ex, the dead man's girlfriend, the driver of the train, and his son round out an ensemble of grief and sorrow as each character becomes linked to another through the train accident. Can decisions to act bring hope?

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Plot Keywords:

human immunodeficiency virus acquired immune deficiency syndrome | cake | cricket the sport | trainwreck | cell phone | 

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Taglines:

Love, death and the whole damn thing.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some violent images, sexual content and thematic material

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bridget Ikin, the film's producer, said of this movie: "I leapt at the chance to develop and produce 'Look Both Ways', having felt very drawn to Sarah [writer-director Sarah Watt]'s short films. I saw 'Look Both Ways' as a natural extension of the anxiously comic world view she'd evolved in the shorts. The ideas in the story felt very current and authentic to me, and, together with Barbara Masel [script editor and one of the associate producers], we were full of momentum and excitement for the intriguing world of the characters, ideas and sensibility that Sarah was exploring. The making of 'Look Both Ways' has been a remarkably enjoyable process, full of the pleasure of working with a committed creative team, on a script we all felt really had something significant to say to us about how to deal with the absurdly random nature of our lives, in which we continue to look for 'meaning', and seek happiness."

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Quotes

Nick: There's always this stuff in the paper about a brave-battle-with-cancer but then you're also supposed to accept it and have a nice everybody-gather-round-and-hug-each-other death. And when's that turnaround supposed to happen?

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Connections

Featured in Look Both Ways: An Interview with Sarah Watt (2006)

User Reviews

I've seen this twice in two days

I loved this clever LOCAL film, full of mature characters and visual treats.In the cinema with me - full house by word of mouth I'd say- there were people laughing out loud yet the subject matter deals with death and pain. There is an almost Buddhist quality to the insights revealed. Life is like it is and we have to deal with it with compassion. Throughout, there were constant images of beauty along with the pain and grot. The ensemble acting was uniformly delightful and McInnes gave the performance of his life.But they were all great. Justine Clark was so dishily funny and down to earth, such an expressive face as she delivers her so clumsily real lines.The drawings and animation add so much to the story and fabulous fast,montages carry an extra charge.This is what the big blockbusters cant do- deliver stories that talk to the locals. The humour is so laconic and ironic- it is my Australia reflected back to me.It's a film full of witty sideways glances.

Details

Official Sites:

Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund [Australia] Dendy Films [Australia]

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 August 2005 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Jobbra is, balra is

Filming Locations:

Modbury Hospital, Modbury, South Australia, Australia

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,430, 16 April 2006

Gross USA:

$105,067

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,586,033

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hibiscus Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1