The Waiting City (06/08/10) [Archive]

The Waiting City (2009)

Director - Claire McCarthy
Starring - Radha Mitchell & Joel Edgerton

4 stars

It’s always nice to see a good Aussie film. Unfortunately for ‘The Waiting City’, it probably didn’t receive the kudos it deserved. Even though the entire film is based in India and it has a large Indian influence, I am comfortable in saying that this is one the better Australian films that I have seen.

Starring Joel Edgerton and Radha Mitchell as an Aussie couple who travel to India in order to adopt a young girl, The Waiting City is shown through the eyes of these two who, like most of the assumed targeted audience, have very little understanding of this foreign country. The basis of the narrative revolves around the journey the pair undertakes as individuals in this far from aesthetic yet somewhat magical land. They both learn so much about themselves, each other and the rest of the world in comparison. It is an emotional journey with massive ups and downs and a remarkable amount of highs and lows that make this cinema experience truly memorable.

Australian writer/director Claire McCarthy has done a wonderful job in creating an emotionally poignant movie. The importance of having this story told comes through in every scene and it is almost impossible not to get drawn into the narrative from the get go. I cannot begin to applaud her enough because she has genuinely nailed every aspect of storytelling and film making that I have come to love and I will certainly attempt to pursue her previous and future work. Job well done.

In conjunction with the brilliant directorial work was the aid of two very good leads. Joel Edgerton just continues to rise in stature every time I see him. He really is a remarkable actor and his character in The Waiting City was performed brilliantly. He wonderfully captured the comic side of such a role but combined it with an eye-opening understanding of his surroundings and his place in the world. It was a wonderful performance from a man I will continue to seek out on screen. As for his co-star Radha Mitchell, she also put in a solid performance. Her character epitomized the growth and development that was so vital to the narrative’s progression. She always captured this quite well.

The Waiting City really was a wonderful movie experience. It was so deeply touching and emotionally engaging and it certainly exceeded the expectations that I had for it. It’s a beautiful story of growth, love, togetherness and finding yourself. A lot of things really worked well and for me, it just seemed to fall into place beautifully. One of the most emotionally poignant and relevant films I have seen in a long time.