274. The Butterfly Tree; movie review

THE BUTTERFLY TREE
Cert 15
96 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, sex, sex references, suicide references

I have lost count of the number of friends or acquaintances who have been affected by cancer over recent years.
Thankfully, suicide has not darkened our family's door but I have seen its ghastly fall-out in the workplace.
The two both loom large in Priscilla Cameron's The Butterfly Tree but her deft touch means that the movie is far from submerged in misery.
Cameron's movie is unusual and poignant but demands patience from its audience who will find themselves rewarded in its denouement.
Melissa George plays the new exotic owner of a florist shop who is magnet for a widower (Ewen Leslie) and his son (Ed Oxenbould).
The pair are struggling to come to terms with the suicide of their respective wife and mother.
Oxenbould's character seeks solace in nature and collecting butterflies and is intoxicated by the new woman in town.
Meanwhile, his dad, who he unfairly blames for his mum's death, has been making a fool of himself in his search to fill the gap of love.
For much of the first hour, George's character seems a bit too flighty and there seems to be no common ground between father and son.
However, the movie is worth perseverance because it takes a dramatic turn which prompts deeper reflection by all.
It also nudges the audience to think about how divisive death and illness might have been in their families.
That said, The Butterfly Tree is not a downcast movie - its use of vibrant colour, music and dance is an antidote to the heavyweight elements in the script.
And George, who I haven't seen in a movie for quite a while, is a shining light.


Reasons to watch: Intriguing and poignant Aussie drama
Reasons to avoid: Action fans will say not a lot happens

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 7/10

Director statement - Priscilla Cameron: "This story was inspired by a special person whom I lost to breast cancer. I had already started writing the script when she was diagnosed. Whilst getting to know her and falling in love with her, on an emotional / spiritual level, I was also physically losing her in exactly the same increments."

The big question - How many fathers and sons fall for the same woman?

Share this post