Sum of Us

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Three years before he became a household name in Hollywood with 1997's L.A. Confidential, Russell Crowe starred in this Australian drama, the directorial debuts of Geoff Burton and Kevin Dowling. Crowe plays Jeff Mitchell, a young gay man and the son of widower Harry Mitchell (Jack Thompson). The two live together while they both search for a special someone with whom to spend their lives. And while Harry is more than comfortable with Jeff's sexuality, his new lady friend isn't, leading to tension and a personal struggle for Harry. Based on the play by screenwriter David Stevens, The Sum of Us was the 1994 recipient of the Austalian Film Institute's Best Adapted Screenplay award. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (Pre-1954 Standard), 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Surround
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Subtitle: Spanish, English, French
• Features:
  • • Origional theatrical trailer
    • English: stereo surround
    • English, french & spanish language subtitles

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Director:

  Geoff Burton, Kevin Dowling

• Producer:

  Rod Allan, Kevin Dowling, Corky Kessler, Donald Scatena

• Screenwriter:

  David Stevens

• Play Author:

  David Stevens

• Cinematographer:

  Geoff Burton

• Composer (Music Score):

  Dave Faulkner

• Editor:

  Frans Vandenburg

• Production Designer:

  Graham "Grace" Walker

• Executive Producer:

  Hal McElroy, Errol Sullivan

• First Assistant Director:

  Carolynne Cunningham

• Casting:

  Faith Martin

REVIEW:

• Films that explore the familial relationship are common in Hollywood. These movies tend to be formulaic in nature and many times lack the imagination or depth to be anything more than caricatures of a family. In the 1995 Australian film The Sum of Us, nothing is formulaic. The story centers on a father-son duo, of which the son is gay. The Sum of Us is a refreshing, if not over-the-top example of what a family without prejudice looks like. This is a motion picture that has a joke every few moments; however, it never seems affected or unreal. Although many relationships between fathers and their gay sons do not resemble the one in this movie, the easy connection between the actors brings a genuine tangibility to the screen. Russell Crowe (of the more testosterone-influenced film Gladiator) shows great depth here portraying not just a gay man but a man whose outward appearance really hides a shy, sensitive soul. Jack Thompson as Jack's father, Harry Mitchell, is such a funny, refreshing actor that one can not help but love Harry even as he takes the role of loyal dad to unnerving levels. The Sum of Us is a delightful look at relationships as well as a refreshing look at the power of films. When a filmmaker steers off the path Hollywood wholeheartedly embraces, sometimes you end up with a gem of a film. The Sum of Us is this type of film, showing what art can be when an artist embraces feelings over formula, as directors Geoff Burton and Kevin Dowling did here. ~ Laura Abraham, Rovi