I don’t think see mother/son“ relationships in films that often. I always say that the theme of it is, ‘The only remedy for love is to love more’. Clubland Director Cherie” Nowlan [left]

To Love More: An Interview With

a Review and interview by Rjurik Davidson

et’s start off talking aboutClubland and what attracted The character of Jean is really interesting. She’s a stand-up you to the script. comedian, which is an interesting world for starters. But in LThe truth of the script is what attracted me to it. It Jean’s case she’s suffered disappointments also. You obvious- was very funny and there were certain things in it, certain ly were attracted to telling her story. lines that made me think it had to be from [scriptwrit- Definitely. She’s the sort of hero of the story; she’s the er] Keith Thompson’s real life. There were certain things person who has to undergo the change, in a way. It’s that touched me in a way that a lot of other scripts didn’t a coming of age story, but for her and not for Tim, and – lots of the humour, but particularly the preparedness that’s a nice trick in the film, or surprise, I should say. The to be vulnerable. The personal nature of the script I real- fact that she’s a stand-up comedian makes it extra inter- ly loved. esting because, as a rule, a comedian has to be angry about something; they’ve got to have an axe to grind. So The journey of both Tim [Khan Chittenden] and Jean [Bren- that background enables her to say and do things in a da Blethyn] was something that really interested me and I comic context and performance context that allows her don’t think you see mother/son relationships in films that to get away with bad behaviour in her own private life. often. I always say that the theme of it is, ‘The only remedy Even though she does some unlikable things, you never for love is to love more’. That’s a quote from Thoreau, but dislike Jean. You love her from the jump and that’s what to me that’s what the film is about. I thought it was a very makes her extreme behaviour all the more powerful. Be- positive message about how families can overcome the cause you’re wanting her not to be like that and you’re kind of rites of passage and hurdles that you face as eve- hoping like mad that she’ll redeem herself, ultimately, ryone gets older or leaves home and negotiates adulthood but you’re very fearful that she won’t. The fact that Tim and makes choices and decisions that not everyone ap- doesn’t give up on her was very appealing to me be- proves of. I thought he handled that so honestly and orig- cause in a more conventional version of that story, she’d inally. probably try to kill herself, or crash the car, or he’d leave and it’d be a terrible rupture and the family might not re-

2 • Metro Magazine 153 above: son tim (Khan Chittenden) and Jill ()

Metro Magazine 153 • 3 cover from it. But he never lets go of her; he can appreciate all those characters. just keeps on loving her more. I guess be- cause she doesn’t have any choice, she has It’s interesting that you say that no one else but to save herself in that situation, after a fair- an Australian filmmaker could do those kinds of ly lengthy tantrum. And she embraces that things, because it struck me as a very Austral- moment of grace and sees, in the end, that ian film: a suburban comic drama. It’s the sort she’s gained something, not lost something of film that Australians make really well. Do you from the experience. think that’s true? Yeah I do. I’m not really sure why. There just It’s interesting from a storytelling point of view: doesn’t seem to be the same set of rules she’s not the point of view character, her son Tim that you have on a bigger budget film, where is. So she’s seen a little more from the outside, you’re either a PG rated film or an R rated film. There just doesn’t seem to be as much grey in the more mainstream film world as You’re constantly under pressure as a filmmaker there is in independent cinema. Perhaps and“ a director and a writer to make films about likable there is a particular Australian humour. I think people: people who are one shade, good or bad, we allow our characters to be funny in a nothing in between. I think it’s much more interesting more realistic way. Not everyone speaks like to investigate characters that are battling the angel and a character in a sit-com. The script isn’t gag- demon within them. driven; it’s funny because the characters are ” funny. Also it’s unusual because sexual inti- macy is not often dealt with in films. It’s often so to speak. It’s an interesting decision because dual protagonist story – she was the antag- avoided. For some reason we can explore in some ways she’s a more unique character, onist to his story and she was also the hero all extremes of violence in cinema but we’re whereas his story is perhaps more generic. – so it’s a pretty unusual structure. Proba- not really comfortable with exploring intimate That’s absolutely true. His story on its own bly no one else would have let us get away subject matter and I think that sets the film would be an ordinary one. It’s only interest- with that. I think it works. apart too. You know, it’s either kind of gross ing in the context of his mother’s story and or inappropriate or exploitative, not made for her journey. While he on the surface ap- No one else except for whom? the story or characters – pears to be the protagonist, it’s actually a No one else but an Australian independ- dual protagonist story. But we ‘are’ Tim and ent filmmaker would get away with blurring Or romanticized in some cases, with soft shades we experience everyone through his eyes those kinds of lines and being that realistic. and strings – – there’s hardly any moments when we see You’re constantly under pressure as a film- That’s right! I loved that about Keith’s script: his parents without him in the scene. It’s a maker and a director and a writer to make there were certain lines that I was alluding bit of a trick, but I think it works because, films about likable people: people who are to earlier. [When I read them], I just knew as you say, it’s his story but she’s the one one shade, good or bad, nothing in between. it was straight out of Keith’s life. When Jill who goes on the journey. Yes he grows up I think it’s much more interesting to investi- [Emma Booth] says to him, ‘Would you like and by discovering sex and love he’s able gate characters that are battling the angel me to take my nightie off?’ and Tim says, to leave the only other love he’s known in and demon within them. And you relate to it ‘No that’s all right, I’ll do it,’ and he turns the his life. When sex walks in the door, Tim because we’re not all good and we’re not all light off. ‘What are you doing?’ He says, ‘I’m walks out [with it]. I was aware that it was a bad. I’m Jean – I understand her. I’m Tim. I turning the lightie off.’ I got to that line and

Clubland and the Dramas of Everyday Life

Relationship dramas have been partic- as they do about the quality of the script, the can be abysmal, it is almost impossible for ularly prominent in Australian film for some vision of the director or the power of the per- a drama about everyday loves not to have time. Indeed, is generally very good formances. There are, for starters, financial some moment of truth or artistry. At their at these films, even if sometimes they pro- imperatives to all this. There is an ease and best, these films can be touching and deep, vide the viewer with a sense of déjà vu. safety to the relationship drama. No com- though most often when they combine the Whether comedies or plain dramas, the char- plicated sets or effects are needed. A fair- relationship drama with other elements, like acters are often familiar: the single struggling ly solid number of viewers can be assumed. the crimes in Ray Lawrence’s Lantana (2001) mother, the precocious teen, the young man At their worst, such films tend to evoke tel- or Jindabyne (2006) (‘dead-body films’ as or woman struggling to commit to a relation- evision. A great many of them are what a di- another friend describes them). ship, the lovable rogue, the slow but endear- rector friend of mine describes as: ‘A mid- ing sidekick. These films tend to be stories of dling story competently told.’ These threat- Clubland, directed by Cherie Nowlan, is the suburban Australia and the dramas of every- en to underwhelm us with their lack of dar- latest of this kind of Australian film. In the day life; many of them are ‘quirky’ and have ing, though even the worst have redeeming protagonist Jean Dwight (, on feel-good endings. They speak as much moments, again a result of their subject mat- whose excellent performance the film rests), about the state of the Australian film industry ter: while an action movie filled with clichés it explores an interesting and unusual char-

4 • Metro Magazine 153 Left page: mother Jean Dwight (played by Brenda Blethyn).

acter. Jean is a stand-up comedian, who former is all the more interesting, because it has some of the best moments in the film. once looked likely to crack the big time until opens up a world of failed dreams, of hopes In the opening scene, she is filled with a joie marriage and children intervened. Jean’s life, deflated, if not dashed (Jean’s estranged de vivre, dancing around to the radio in the then, has had its disappointments, though husband John [Frankie J. Holden] is also a morning, her middle-aged ‘shaking’ in hu- she still dreams of show business success. disappointed performer – in his case a coun- morous contrast to the blues-rock blaring She needs constantly to be in the spotlight try musician). Who among us doesn’t know out. Her caustic wit is on show at the vari- and is alternately generous and selfish. artists desperately trying to ‘make it’ despite ous (skilfully directed and shot) club scenes ongoing disappointments or failures? Part where she performs stand-up. Writer Keith The world of the stand-up comic is inher- of the interest in this topic is that career dis- Thompson describes his impetus for Jean: ently interesting. It provides not only com- appointments often occur because of social ic potential, but the possibility of exploring or political reasons out of the control of the When I was a kid, my mother had a dance the public/private relationship in novel ways, person involved. The question it asks is: how band in England. I used to sit at the side as the best comedy tends to be a critique of responsible can we be for our failures? of the piano while she was performing and both social mores and the individual’s life it- so I was always around clubs. The working self. The life of a disappointed or failed per- Considering this, it is no surprise that Jean class milieu in those clubs is really interest-

Metro Magazine 153 • 5 I just cracked up. I said, ‘Keith, this is from to it.’ And I say, ‘Yeah, but we’re double the and Brenda Blethyn is such an amazing ac- you, isn’t it? You said this.’ And he just gig- scores of where we should be with men.’ It’s tress and she was surrounded by fabulous gled and said, ‘Yeah. I couldn’t have made been a really curious thing for me because I actors. And it’s funny. And it’s moving. And that up.’ So that’s the stuff that I found de- never thought I would direct a film for men, it’s truthful. And it’s about something. lightful. Even though his mother is not Jean, but I have, it would seem. all that stuff was from his own life and some You managed to bring out some strong perform- of it was from his working life: the whole Is there something about coming of age stories, ances from your actors: Brenda Blethyn in what character of Mark [Richard Wilson] sprung which are also, often, ‘first love’ stories, which is a difficult role, and thenK han Chittenden and out of his time as a writer-producer on an means it is easy to explore questions of love Emma Booth, both young actors, who look like SBS series set in a share house with disa- and intimacy or independence? they’re on the rise. bled people. His sister worked at the Cere- Coming of age stories are always appeal- I loved working with them. It’s thrilling to bral Palsy Association in Queensland for a ing, aren’t they? That’s because we all see work with someone as extraordinary as long time and he was very interested in the ourselves still as eighteen and nineteen Brenda Blethyn, but it’s just as much fun to effect that a disabled child has on the dy- year olds. That person still lives within us work with those young people. And Khan namics of a family. And that really interested and we kind of harken back to it, and try had a really hard role. It’s so difficult to pull me too. The originality of Keith’s voice was to recapture that innocence and loss of in- off that kind of vulnerable but appealing what got me and I saw myself and my fam- nocence, and try to remember what it was young man. He’s not a very overtly mas- ily in the script, even though it was noth- like to be unsullied by the slings and ar- culine character. I was surprised we didn’t ing like my family. I think that’s the magic of rows of bloody bad love stories. I never tire get more opposition than we did to that be- the script: even though it wasn’t my family, of watching those films. What makes it dif- cause I’ve encountered that before. If you it was. It somehow articulated key moments ferent in this film is that dual story: that she don’t have an all-conquering, active male in the maturation process. has to grow up as much as he does, that character then it seems to disturb people, she has to let go and that’s one of the most particularly other men. In this case, I think In the scene where Jill wanks Tim, every painful lessons in life. And it seems to be it’s just because Khan is so believable and bloke in the audience announces himself dur- much harder to resist it than to give in to you’re with him, you’re not against him, and ing that scene. It’s just fantastic. The other it and allow what you love to be set free. I in all the screenings that we’ve had the men funny thing that always happens is when they guess as I’ve gotten older, I’m more Jean have just loved all of those themes. That’s applaud when John [Frankie J. Holden] says, than I am Tim, obviously. I’m closer to that Keith’s writing but it’s also Khan’s perform- ‘the only thing you’ve got to know about experience in life than I am his. I don’t real- ance. And Emma is incredible. She’s got women is that they’ve got to be right, all the ly have an answer to that question except so much talent. She was the second ac- time, about everything’. We have unusually that in independent cinema you don’t have tor I cast after Brenda and we had to wait high scores with men in this film – like off the to be as black and white as you do in per- around for another six months for the film dial, almost unheard of, outside genre films. haps an overtly commercial film. I think this to be fully financed and I was certain some- And I always bring this up with the marketing film is a commercial film; more by accident one else would discover how good she was. teams. And they always say, ‘Yeah, but men than design, though. I think that’s because I knew that as soon as people started see- won’t go and see this, they’ve got to be taken we were being really truthful to the story ing the film that would be it, she would be

ing and really powerful. Plus, I love writing manages to present Jean as a more rounded own insecurities about her body ring true, about women’s humour. Guys get so many and complex person. yet, despite its competence, their plotline opportunities to be funny, but what makes doesn’t sparkle or shine partly because the me laugh is the way women relate to each By contrast, the other two key characters in two of them are, perhaps, just too ‘nice’. other with their humour. It’s a kind of do- the film – Tim and Jill – are, ultimately, nice. mestic humour; they were doing observa- Tim, the point of view character of the film, Being nice is a dangerous trait for any char- tional comedy thirty years ago before it be- and his new girlfriend, Jill, are both likeable acter, either in film or fiction. Nice charac- came popular with Seinfeld …1 and fairly ordinary, despite their insecurities. ters threaten to become boring because we Tim’s love story with Jill is thus fairly con- come to know early on that they’ll act in pret- Jean’s ambiguity makes her the most original ventional. He is awkward and shy and has ty much predictable ways. Tim and Jill’s sto- character in the film. She is not ready to let commitment issues, brought on by a pre- ry, while never boring, does have a sense her 21-year-old son Tim (Khan Chittenden) vious break-up. We suspect that this is be- of déjà vu. The story of their relationship grow up, and makes life unfairly difficult for cause his previous girlfriend left him, and he is strong enough, however, due to a tight his new girlfriend Jill (Emma Booth). Indeed, is scared of getting hurt again. Tim’s is thus script, fine direction and satisfying perform- there’s a mean streak to Jean and she is at a coming-of-age story and the scope of the ances. Khan Chittenden’s star is clearly ris- times controlling and manipulative. Yet the conflict is clear to us in advance. Can Tim ing in Australian film. In Clubland he plays film’s portrait of her is ultimately sympathet- take the risk and dedicate himself to Jill, risk- Tim, a difficult part, with sufficient aplomb. ic: these unattractive traits are the expres- ing being hurt? Or will his fear sabotage what With time and experience, his performanc- sions of her career disappointments and her he really wants? Will he stand up to his over- es should develop with greater subtlety. The love for her children. In other words, the film bearing mother, or let her ruin his relation- winsome Emma Booth, cut from similar cloth does not fall into the ‘evil mother-in-law’ ster- ship? There are some nice explorations of to , debuts strongly and is eotype as it could so easily have done, but awkward and youthful sexuality and Jill’s equally likely to become an important young

6 • Metro Magazine 153 a rocket, and sure enough that’s happened. Can you tell me a bit about directing Clubland? that happen, but I’ve just got to soldier on. She’s fantastic. I don’t know how much act- The scenes in the comedy club must have pre- ing she’d done before my film, probably an sented quite a lot of challenges. The cast were so much fun. When they hour’s worth of screen time, not a lot. Any shoot is challenging [especially] come on board the party starts for me. when you’ve got to shoot that quickly and When you’re trying to finance a film and Since your earlier film,Thank God He Met Liz- squeeze in that many locations, with ex- you’re in preproduction, there’s not a lot to zie (1997), you’ve worked in television. How do tras and song and dance numbers. The only laugh about. It’s painful. It’s very rewarding you find the differences between the two forms? thing we didn’t have were children and an- to go to the disabled services factory and Have you said goodbye to television? imals, which I was grateful for. But we cer- work with the disabled actors and have Ri- No, not at all. I love television. I don’t think tainly had a high location count and high chard Wilson go out and work with them in you can be a director anywhere anymore page count and all those things that stretch character and be accepted. without either needing or wanting to work you to the limit. The club scenes were def- in television. The lead time in feature films initely difficult because of the number of Is there anything that you really wanted to say in terms of development, let alone pro- scenes that I had to do and musical num- about the film? duction, is just so long that it’s not practi- bers to be staged. The first club scene … What I’m proud of is that it’s an entertaining cal to say ‘I’m only a feature film director’ Brenda was incredibly nervous because film that means something; that you walk out unless you’re directing blockbusters. You she’d never performed stand-up before and of it and feel that you’ve experienced some- learn how to be a director from directing tel- she wrote all the material herself. In the end thing and felt something. So there’s not really evision. I couldn’t have done what I did on pretty much all of it was hers. And she was a question that I haven’t been asked but that’s Clubland had I not done all those hours of constantly rewriting the monologues and what I hope impresses other people. I hope it television. Just working that quickly and be- testing it out on all of us, and me at all kinds makes them want to go and see it and sup- ing under that kind of pressure, creatively of hours of the night and she was really, re- port Australian film. I can’t tell you how many and physically, is excellent training for film- ally nervous and I’d never seen her nervous times I walk down the aisles of the new re- making. So I’ve loved every minute of my before and so that was interesting. leases in a DVD shop or look at the multiplex television directing and my commercial di- films and think, ‘Christ, there’s nothing there recting. It wasn’t for the lack of trying to A lot of the club scenes were filmed in for me. Am I out of step with the world or make another feature film, but for one rea- poker machine areas that we couldn’t lock …?’ I hope that I’ve made a film that I would son or another it didn’t happen. So I’m just down. Some of those areas are only closed want to see. I’m just so thrilled with how the so thrilled I got a chance to make another for about two hours of the day, between film has travelled so far and I just hope that film and for it to have had this dream run so four and six am, so we shot those scenes we score a few hits at the box office in be- far. It’s just fantastic. I’ve done more than I with real patrons in the background, call- tween all of those blockbusters. We couldn’t ever said I’d do, so I have nothing to com- ing out, making comments, playing away have come out with any more blockbusters plain about. I’ve been lucky to get the sup- on the machines, sort of half-tuning in – if we tried! I think there are six of them, so it port I’ve had from (the pro- enough to be disruptive. That was funny. does feel a little bit like David and Goliath, but ducer) and all the television producers I’ve But I’m under so much pressure to get the hopefully our film is different enough to cap- worked for, and the commercial producers. day shot that there are a lot of funny things ture the imaginations of people. •

Australian actor. Richard Wilson gives an ex- ticularly Australian type of film. On the whole tana or Jindabyne, again) work on a meta- cellent performance as Tim’s disabled broth- we leave the cinema satisfied, having been phorical level that is different to the more po- er, Mark, while and Frank- immersed, nevertheless, in the familiar. This litical films of the 1970s: it’s a long time since ie J. Holden provide typically professional kind of film might be considered a pret- Sunday Too Far Away (Ken Hannam, 1975). performances as, respectively, Jean’s friend ty accurate reflection of Australia: a place of This is because Australia itself has changed; Lana and her estranged husband John. small everyday dramas (among white sub- the social movements and political struggles urbanites) rather than great political or so- of the 1970s have themselves passed away. Stylistically – in terms of direction, set de- cial struggles. Beyond the financial impera- Yet there may also be something appealing sign, cinematography – the film is laid back. tives, there are probably political precondi- about the lack of political edge in many con- Cherie Nowlan explains that: tions for the prominence of this kind of film temporary films, for it means that in Austral- in Australia. Such a world could be criticized ia some people’s dramas are small, person- Being a film about relationships it was im- as complacent, self-satisfied, apolitical – that al ones. These films can be generally about portant that we didn’t let the camera get in is, as a reflection of what might be termed decent people and the challenges that face the way of those relationships. The thing ‘Howard’s Australia’. Perhaps this lack of po- them. Clubland is just such a film. was to find the visual language which suit- litical edge contributes to a lack of artistic ed the film. I tried to deconstruct the visu- edge in many of these films. Indeed, it seems Rjurik Davidson is a freelance writer/editor. als a little so that everything is not perfect. to me that those films that foreground their He has taught at Victoria University, RMIT I didn’t want audiences to feel like they are political concerns – say, Last Train to Freo and La Trobe University. • watching a ‘film’; it was really important to (Jeremy Sims, 2006) or Jindabyne – stand at ground the film in reality and honesty.2 the cutting edge of Australian film. But even Endnotes those ‘relationship drama’ films which cri- 1 Clubland Press Kit, p.6. Clubland, then, is another addition to a par- tique middle-Australian concerns (say, Lan- 2 Clubland Press Kit, p.8.

Metro Magazine 153 • 7