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IMDbPro

Blessed

  • 20092009
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
754
YOUR RATING
Frances O'Connor and Reef Ireland in Blessed (2009)
'Blessed' is a film about the depth of love between mothers and children and the life force that connects us all, about love and beauty and about being lost and finding your way home.
Play trailer2:08
1 Video
11 Photos
  • Drama
Seven lost children wander the night streets while their mothers await their return home.Seven lost children wander the night streets while their mothers await their return home.Seven lost children wander the night streets while their mothers await their return home.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
754
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Ana Kokkinos
  • Writers
    • Andrew Bovell(based on the play by)
    • Melissa Reeves(based on the play by)
    • Patricia Cornelius(based on the play by)
  • Stars
    • Frances O'Connor
    • Miranda Otto
    • Deborra-Lee Furness
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ana Kokkinos
  • Writers
    • Andrew Bovell(based on the play by)
    • Melissa Reeves(based on the play by)
    • Patricia Cornelius(based on the play by)
  • Stars
    • Frances O'Connor
    • Miranda Otto
    • Deborra-Lee Furness
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 15User reviews
    • 20Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 7 nominations

    Videos1

    BLESSED
    Trailer 2:08
    BLESSED

    Photos11

    Blessed (2009)
    Victoria Haralabidou and Anastasia Baboussouras in Blessed (2009)
    Eva Lazzaro and Reef Ireland in Blessed (2009)
    Reef Ireland in Blessed (2009)
    Eamon Farren in Blessed (2009)
    Wayne Blair in Blessed (2009)
    Deborra-Lee Furness in Blessed (2009)
    Eva Lazzaro and Reef Ireland in Blessed (2009)
    Eva Lazzaro and Reef Ireland in Blessed (2009)
    Blessed (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Frances O'Connor
    Frances O'Connor
    • Rhondaas Rhonda
    Miranda Otto
    Miranda Otto
    • Biancaas Bianca
    Deborra-Lee Furness
    Deborra-Lee Furness
    • Tanyaas Tanya
    Victoria Haralabidou
    Victoria Haralabidou
    • Ginaas Gina
    Monica Maughan
    Monica Maughan
    • Laurel Parkeras Laurel Parker
    Wayne Blair
    Wayne Blair
    • James Parkeras James Parker
    William McInnes
    William McInnes
    • Peteras Peter
    Tasma Walton
    Tasma Walton
    • Gailas Gail
    Sophie Lowe
    Sophie Lowe
    • Katrinaas Katrina
    Anastasia Baboussouras
    • Trishaas Trisha
    Harrison Gilbertson
    Harrison Gilbertson
    • Danielas Daniel
    Eamon Farren
    Eamon Farren
    • Rooas Roo
    Eva Lazzaro
    • Staceyas Stacey
    Reef Ireland
    Reef Ireland
    • Ortonas Orton
    Melanie Beddie
    • Young Laurelas Young Laurel
    Jay Kennedy-Harris
    • Young Jimmyas Young Jimmy
    • (as Jay Kennedy)
    Neil Pigot
    Neil Pigot
    • Sergeant Kerrickas Sergeant Kerrick
    Kellie Jones
    Kellie Jones
    • Constable Clarkeas Constable Clarke
    • Director
      • Ana Kokkinos
    • Writers
      • Andrew Bovell(based on the play by)
      • Melissa Reeves(based on the play by)
      • Patricia Cornelius(based on the play by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the second time Monica Maughan has played Wayne Blair's (adoptive) mother.
    • Connections
      Featured in Artscape: In Conversation with Virginia Trioli: Deborra-Lee Furness (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      No Secrets
      Written by Doc Neeson (as B. Neeson) and Graham Bidstrup

      Performed by The Angels

    User reviews15

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Beautiful and wonderful
    I was tremendously moved by this movie from Australia, and the audience at the London Film Festival were very appreciative of director Ana Kokkinos who attended to introduce the film and for a Q&A. Blessed is based on an Australian play called "Who's afraid of the working class" which was produced in 1999. So the project to make it cinematic has taken the best part of 10 years for Ana Kokkinos. Ana's focus in the film was towards the relationships between mothers and their children (or blessings), and stripped out anything from the play that didn't fit in that agenda.

    The film is simply that, an examination of the bond between mother and child, with a strong backdrop of contemporary Melbourne. I think it was a challenge to try and strip the theatricality out, but that seems to have been pulled off really well (both with the structure of the film which is very cinematic and the focus on the close-up of the human face, which is a cornerstone of cinema). There are around five different stories here, which have some degree of connectivity, which avoids the choppiness you can get in a typical portmanteau film. Mostly we are seeing children on the streets of Melbourne, instead of in school, in some degree of confrontation or peril. There is a structure so that you can see the same story twice, once from the children's side and once from the adult's side.

    I think the cast is cracking. Frances O'Connor as Rhonda if electric in this movie, like a force of nature, a flaming creature. She does some terrible things, they are sins of omission more than anything else (though they are still heinous). There is a scene in this movie where heavily pregnant Rhonda dances in a nightclub after a huge incident, whilst her social worker looks on in awe and disbelief. That's the attitude of the audience mirrored. Rhonda's alive with sexuality and agony throughout the whole movie, so apart from the way most people live in their ultra-sanitised lives where they've tried to remove everything animal. The social worker is a proxy for the middle class audience member, who is university educated and has erased their pagan side.

    The level of confrontation in the movie is astonishing to anyone (like myself) who lives in a confrontation-phobic milieu. A police detective in a darkened interview room, full of frustration and rage, tells two truant girls how miserable they are and stupid, and how they've got no talent going for them and that they know nothing, and will never amount to anything.

    Cezary Skubiszewik music is absolutely haunting, it's played over the opening scenes where we see all the children asleep in their beds. You know right then that you're in for a very special movie. It's a raging torrent of love and hatred and pure emotion that leaves you bewildered and touched by the dilemmas and hideous positions that the characters find themselves in.

    I don't have any trouble in saying that this is the finest film I saw in a programme of at least 25 films, including the eventual winner of the festival, Jacques Audiard's Un prophète.
    helpful•10
    6
    • oOgiandujaOo_and_Eddy_Merckx
    • Oct 30, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 10, 2009 (Australia)
    • Country of origin
      • Australia
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Блаженные
    • Filming locations
      • Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
    • Production companies
      • Blessed Film Productions
      • Film Victoria
      • Head Gear Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $237,752
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 53 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital

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