West of Sunshine

In the modest but sneakily affecting Australian father-son drama "West of Sunshine," your sympathies for a problematic dad come and go in waves, sometimes within the span of a few seconds.

The film realises Raftopoulos's desire to deliver a film that looks as if it's been distilled from reality but in this instance, naturalism isn't enough. The judicious injection of a sense of heightened drama could have made all the difference.

[A] handsomely lensed slice of life ...

Fatherhood gets an incisive examination in "West of Sunshine," the short, sharp and rewarding feature debut of Australian writer-director Jason Raftopoulos.

Hill and Perham are a real-life stepfather and son, which probably helped with the ease of the acting. Both, though, deserve credit for excellent, affecting performances.

All of the performances are at least solid, and for an indie, the production value is impressive. It won't reduce you to a weeping mess, but at 78 minutes it's a trim, satisfying drama that does justice to its inspirations.

[T]he drama isn't in the debt or the potential violence. It's in wondering if it's too late for a guy like Jim.

As epitaphs go, it's close to perfect.

Unsurprising but engaging Aussie Dad down on his gambler's luck melodrama.

The endearing dynamic between the central father and son isn't enough to disguise the frailty of this material, as it lacks any continuity of suspense or the urgency necessary for hard-hitting stories like this.

introduces a new filmmaking talent in Jason Raftopoulus who blends grit and tenderness into a disarmingly poignant package.

Strong scenes abound, though there are some major stumbles in the film's tonal shifts as well as some inconsistencies in the story. Still, the film can't be faulted for its ambition or its widescreen cinematography.