Backroads

1977
6.5| 0h57m| en
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Two strangers – one white, one black – steal a car in western NSW and head for the coast. Jack is abrasive, cunning and disparaging about Aborigines. Gary doesn’t really care – he just wants to escape. En route, they pick up Gary’s Uncle Joe, a French hitchhiker and a young woman who’s running away. Their petty crimes escalate as they go, heading towards disaster.

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Also starring Essie Coffey

Reviews

Cebalord Very best movie i ever watch
HeadlinesExotic Boring
Stoutor It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.
RipDelight This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.
matt-hayward-891-617729 A lust for gritty, seventies Australiana was quenched by this gem. It's not for everyone and clearly unapologetically so. No sooner has I watched an SBS special on Aboriginal activists had I realised that one of the lead actors is one of Australia's most notorious. It speaks to a certain reality about us as Australians and a kind of awkward adolescent phase of social integration that was the seventies. I'd like to think a lot has changed, perhaps it hasn't. But it's who we are and it's unmistakably captured here. Despite all that, it's a great time capsule of the bush in the late seventies and well worth a watch. I'm not sure who the bush Aboriginal musos were, but they were absolutely awesome. We should be as proud of them as the Americans are the blues.
sydneyswesternsuburbs Director Phillip Noyce who also created the classic flick, Clear and Present Danger 1994 and another classic Aboriginal cultural issues flick, Rabbit-Proof Fence 2002 has created another 60 minute gem in Backroads.It stars the late legendary Bill Hunter who has also been in other classic flicks, Gallipoli 1981, Mad Dog Morgan 1976, Every night Every night 1995, Blue Murder 1995, Stone 1974 and the television series Spyforce 1971-73.Also starring is Gary Foley who was also in the classic flick, Dogs in Space 1986.I enjoyed the road trip banter, the drinking and the Australian scenery.If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic Aussie Aboriginal cultural issues flicks, Ten Canoes 2006, Samson and Delilah 2009, Yolngu Boy 2001, Blackfellas 1992, Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith 1978, Walkabout 1971, Dead Heart 1996 and Jedda 1955.
SmokeyTee We stomached about 30 minutes of this silly film.I'm all for finding new, raw 'talent' and dealing with 'reality'. The two main characters are social bottom feeders and although they are poles apart presumably through their one-track dialogue about the plight of the aboriginal peoples they eventually find understanding... unfortunately we didn;t make it there with them! Their (constant) debates seem forced and completely unbelievable and clearly just there to provide a medium to push the left-wing agenda of the film maker. This grew tired VERY quickly.The film jumps haphazardly from scenes of rest or waiting to driving with little purpose or direction. Where are we going? Why did we do that!? These sorts of questions valid in any other film are best left at the door...I wanted to see this because I enjoy Australian films and especially like time capsules from the 60s and 70s. Avoid this agenda packed snore fest, see 'They're a Weird Mob' for queer vintage Aus instead...
mifunesamurai Early effort from director Noyce dealing with an Aboriginal and a white man on the road to self destruction. It brings up important issues on racial relationships in Australia but not enough time was given to this important topic.