Grass Roots

2000
8.4| 0h30m| en
Synopsis

Grass Roots is an Australian television series produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation between 2000 and 2003. The series is set around the fictional Arcadia Waters Council near Sydney, and was primarily a satirical look at the machinations of local government. It was written by Geoffrey Atherden. Part of the series was filmed in the inner west Sydney suburb of Concord. Many external shots of Arcadia waters Council chambers used Concord Council Chambers as a setting and as was other various locations around Concord, particularly in the shopping centre and cafes in Majors Bay Road. Beach scenes were filmed at Mona Vale, New South Wales on Sydney's northern beaches, while the location "Cemetery Point" was filmed at the Mona Vale headland reserve.

Director

Producted By

Eastway Communication

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Reviews

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful
Usamah Harvey The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.
Freeman This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.
Moviefile Saw this while living in Australia. It's a great shame it has never been shown in the U.K., whereas cr*p like Blue Heelers has! Yes this is up there with the best in Aussie TV - I loved Grass Roots (also loved the whimsical Sea Change). I watched this with a big grin plastered all over my face - the heady, swirling, jazz soundtrack is delicious, as are the performances of all concerned.Basically the storyline is about the Machiavellian machinations of the purveyors of local government, somewhere in NSW. Plot, counter-plot, blatant ambition, amoral and self-serving councillors and staff...just superb! Toe-curlingly realistic (probably!) and very well written. Sophie Heathcote (as Biddy Marchant) is especially worthy of mention as she just drips malevolence. I am so sorry to read that she died earlier this year.Why do programs of this quality not reach a global audience and Neighbours, Home and Away etc do??? Grass Roots is as far from Lowest Common Denominator TV as you can get - I recommend it to you.
taipan-1 With the third series now complete one can only congratulate Geoff Atherden for some truly outstanding scripts. Great plotting and some excellent characters, including the addition of Mary Coustas as local newspaper editor Ava Strick, really made the third series sing. And Jody Dry, as the new Biddy Marchant, was very good following in the big footsteps of Sophie Heathcote. The final episode tied together many threads, Col and Karin getting together, Biddy becoming mayor and Greg getting sacked, but it also opened several new threads for what will almost certainly be a fourth series with, I suspect, Col running for State Parliament and Biddy trying to run the council, have a baby and save her marriage. Can't wait!
John (opsbooks) A masterpiece of television in the making, 'Grass Roots' sweeps away the mysteries of local government in a beachside suburb of Sydney, Australia. One wonders how many council employees have spilled the beans to the creators of this series! It's difficult to pick out any particular members of the cast, because they work so well together. No one is really a standout, which is probably how it should be. But mention must be made of the superlative production values, especially the camera work. A 5-star series right up there with 'Seachange' and 'The Games'.
supertedg Really innovative (esp. with the already mentioned simultaneous plots) and genuinely funny series without any of the bloody canned laughter that is so prevalent in American comedies. Successful enough for us to get a second season on ABC soon, thank god.