Memorergi good film but with many flaws

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Kimball Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Sachiel Paradzik 'Last Cab to Darwin' is a contemporary Australian film based on a true story, released in 2015. The story is set in the Northern Territory, and it is ultimately about an aging, terminally-ill, small-town man's journey where he ultimately realises that, after the journey he has taken, undergoing euthanasia is not worth it as he does have someone to care about. It shows Rex in physical pain, living in terrible conditions where he actually feels humiliated by the fact that he needs an indigenous Australian to essentially care for him. I personally think that the main reason why Rex wanted to undergo the procedure is actually because he felt like he was a burden upon Polly. And that by leaving without her consent, he'd be giving her relief from having to care for a man who can't even clean his own mess, but in the end he realises that Polly would do absolutely anything for him – and that he was the one who deserved his final time.This is how the filmmakers address the universal issue that we all face every day – possibility opposing practicality. Where when you're actually living the moment, you might go back upon your original idea. I think the movie does an amazing job of describing this, and I feel that is also the direction of the argument of Euthanasia itself, everything is uncertain when one has to make a decision that serious. I myself am terrified of the thought of death, in-fact I can't even begin to comprehend it, but although I can never see myself going through euthanasia, I can imagine that in certain circumstances some people would, which is how where I think the filmmakers stand on the topic – and they definitely do make the subjective benefits known. So I feel like there will never be a final decision made on the debate, and that's exactly what I think the ultimate message of this movie is – because in the end, even Dr Farmer had given-up. I would say this film was probably one of the most beautiful movies I have seen in the respect of the power and beauty of the relationship between Polly and Rex. The wonderful idea of breaking the 'taboo' upon being associated with an indigenous Australian in the Northern Territory, let-alone leading a relationship. The reason why this hits-home for me is because in the Northern Territory there is a very obvious bias against the indigenous Australians. I recall seeing many places where Aborigines were restricted without identification, even at the campsite parallel to the iconic bar with photos plastered upon the walls had regulations like this. So to see two people breaking these barriers was a very confronting, but beautiful image. Beautiful imagery is something this great movie is full-of, whether it be depicting the often buried idea of alcoholism among Aborigines, the impact that people can have on one-another, or even just the landscape of Australia itself. Which is something I would like to finish upon, the setting of this movie proved almost nostalgic for me in a sense, I feel the filmmakers truly captured how I see Australia as a whole. In the morning at Rex's house I felt like I could even smell the scent of the morning wet grass under the unforgiving Australian sun, and re-live the sense of wonder that I felt when entering Alice Springs between the monolithic rock formations. This movie was a perfect depiction of how I truly see Australia, and for that I think I will always remember it.

jmvscotland Like some other reviewers, I was disappointed by "Last Cab To Darwin". I saw the trailer on some other DVD or Blu-Ray and I was looking forward to seeing this movie. Michael Caton is a very good actor who will never play a better part than he did as Darryl Kerrigan in "The Castle", one of my all-time favourite movies.I share the views of some other reviewers. There was a missed opportunity in Last Cab in that very little of the strange beauty of the Australian outback made it into the final cut. The outback is beautiful and dangerous in about equal measure and I would have liked to see much more of it, particularly since this movie runs just over two hours. What we have instead are endless scenes involving Rex and Tilly, the latter who increasingly got under my skin, not because he was an Aboriginal but rather because he was just so bloody annoying. Were it me driving 3,000km to Darwin, I would have had Tilly out of the cab at the first stop after leaving the place where he fixed Rex's windscreen.Jackie Weaver has never been a good actress and my impression was not changed by this movie. The only stand-out acting wise was Michael Caton as Rex. He played the part with exactly the right amount of sympathy, poignance and empathy with someone dying from cancer.And this leads me to the matter of euthanasia. I believe that in Australia, the Northern Territory, the ACT and I think also Tasmania have passed laws allowing euthanasia in some appropriately limited circumstances. These laws have been over-ridden by Federal Government legislation, this of course resulting in a great deal of unnecessary suffering for patients and their families. I would have liked to see a movie in which the expected difficulties for Rex didn't happen and he was then allowed to die a dignified death rather than the drawn out and painful death that we can assume followed the end of the movie. However, as with so much else these days, Australia is no longer a leader in the world in any capacity. We are always followers with little vision for the future. Australia's resistance to both euthanasia and gay marriage are two good examples of what I'm saying here. They are both absolutely inevitable so why don't Australian Governments just recognize that and enact appropriate legislation that could only make many people much happier and make Australia again the forward-looking country that it was in the 40s, 50s and 60s.My major problem with "Last Cab To Darwin was just the length of the movie. It's way too long at over two hours and I was bored to death by the end, just hoping that it would finish. This seems to be commonplace these days when most movies are no longer the "correct" length of about 90 to 100 minutes. Some movies can sustain interest for two or even three hours but most just don't make it.By all means see "Last Cab To Darwin". It's not a bad movie. It just could have been so much better.

dracher This is the first Australian film in a long time to be built upon a first rate script, beautiful dialogue, absolutely exemplary direction, wonderful cinematography, first class set dressing, and good costuming and casting.Others have reviewed this film, some have praised it, some have called it good, some, alas have canned it as a failure. Too many have analysed the story as sad, even depressing, others have claimed that it is a drama with comedic moments etc.Last Cab to Darwin is a drama, no drama can function well, without the essential comic relief, and this is no exception, but let me say that here is a film that takes no account of contrived entertainment, neither does it preach, or dictate moral terms; Last Cab to Darwin simply tells a story, and stories within that story, via fine direction, one of the best scripts, and some of the finest dialogue ever recorded in this country.The direction is sensitive and well paced, and there is evidence of the actors actually having been directed and shepherded by a director with a real knowledge of the craft and process of acting.Michael Caton is fine as Rex, and he deserves every accolade that has been thrown his way, but having watched his work for more than 35 years, I know that he can at times show a tendency to overplay, especially when the character is driven by deeply felt or complex intent; yet here he is restrained, almost underplaying at times, but always compelling and moving.The support cast is largely divine, some critics have accused Mark Coles Smith of overplaying, this is absolute nonsense from critics who know nothing of good acting or screen work, Mr Coles Smith is wonderful, a kind of indigenous James Dean, whose character of Tilly is at various times frightening, amusing, endearing, wise, foolish, enigmatic, and utterly charming.Ningali Lawford is quite breathtaking, as she drives her character Polly, moving so smoothly from harsh and angry via practical, warm, funny and heartbreaking, to tender, vulnerable and deeply loving.Emma Hamilton keeps a firm controlling hand on her wonderful characterisation of Julie, the UK backpacker and nurse, who takes charge of Rex in his final phase. With only a couple of exceptions, the lesser supporting roles are fine, and for once, directorial attention has been given to even the smallest of roles (I mention this because it is all too often that Australian directors lavish time and screen time only on the leads, and leave the rest of the cast to their own devices) Last Cab to Darwin is a fine film, better than that, it is a masterpiece of theatrical screen production.

eladale-90211 Every now and again, a movie strikes home for me. We all suffer loss and have fears of the unknown. A movie like Last Cab to Darwin finds a way to address both in a palatable, but in a touching, oh-so human way.Kudos to the ensemble for the fine acting, wonderful cinematography, directing, and imagery invoked in scene after scene. This is an intelligent, deeply moving story. The film's two dimensional representations of rural Australia and it's inhabitants belie the depth of this story. These were artfully used as the canvas upon which complicated characters and rich allegorical reflections on life were illustrated. Any time there seemed to be a cliché developing, it was spun into an important insight or revelation.Michael Caton's portrayal of Rex was simply amazing. A good actor's work will be described as believable...realistic. But a performance like this one goes beyond believable. You feel like you have always known this character personally. He is the workaday everyman. He could be your neighbor, an old friend, or a mate from work that you have beers with on payday. You are comfortable around him. When he hurts, you feel real compassion for him. You share in his feelings of fulfillment when he triumphs. Caton takes you along on this ride, not by force, but because you don't want to leave him. He asks for nothing, yet the grip of this character is so powerful you can't turn away from him. He is quietly deserving. We want to give to him. He is us, after all. We give to him as we would like to give to ourselves.See this movie. It's a gem.