On DVD and BLU RAY - "The Sapphires" - Loosely based on the true story of a small singing group of Aboriginal women in the 1960's, this is one of those movies that middle-aged female viewers often refer to as "cute". Currently the sole screenwriting credit for original playwright Tony Briggs and marking the feature-film Directorial debut of Wayne Blair, The Sapphires is harmless enough, though it can't overcome the utterly pedestrian tone and lackluster construction that is often indicative of novice film-makers. It's a disappointment in relation to the solid cast and narrative potential that would unfortunately fit in rather comfortably with the all of the other mundane, undercooked programming on the Lifetime Channel.
Chris O'Dowd (Bridesmaids), channeling a younger version of Bill Murray, is the alcoholic talent scout that discovers the four singers and becomes their manager. His "Dave Lovelace" isn't quite the comic relief I was hoping for as he's a highly capable sort that, with the right material, is as talented and as charismatic as any comedic actor out there. Mark my words, he's well on his way to becoming a household name...
Australian actress Deborah Mailman (Rabbit Proof Fence) gives the strongest performance as the group's stalwart matriarch, "Gail", while Aussie R&B and Pop singer Jessica Mauboy's "Julie" is understandably the most vocally talented. Newcomers Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell round out the quartet as "Kay" and "Cynthia", respectively. The girls find themselves dealing with a number of hardships to overcome as they reluctantly assemble to chase their collective dream, with interior dissonance threatening to break them apart and the ugly reality of that particular era's glaring racism remaining in close proximity.
The film's second half takes place in 1968 Vietnam, with the group entertaining U.S. troops in areas of conflict. The musical selections are just O.K.- I never really felt "lifted" by any of them. A romantic subplot between Gail and Lovelace comes across as more of a tacked-on obligation than a believable event- I can't fault the actors, but there simply isn't much chemistry between the two to speak of.
Tory Kittles (Frankenfish) pops up here and there as an American soldier and potential love interest for one of the girls that, much like all of the other potential love interests, isn't given enough material to establish a fully-formed character.
This release is described on film information websites across the net as a Musical/Comedy/Drama, though I don't believe it excels in/as any one of those three genres- if only the film's chefs had spiced it up a bit more and left it in the oven a bit longer...
6.0 out of 10
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