[rating: 4/5]
Gail (Deborah Mailman), Julie (Jessica Mauboy), and Kay (Shari Sebbens) are Aborigine sisters living in the harsh political climate of late 1960s Australia. The trio catches the eye of Dave (Chris O’ Dowd) with their songbird-sweet voices at a local talent competition, despite their loss (It is “fixed!” exclaims Dave, and the girl who wins is “allergic to music”). In what seems like a completely underdeveloped plan, the three decide to go to auditions in Melbourne to perform in war-torn Vietnam with Dave as their manager. In Melbourne, they pick up their cousin Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell) who joins the group and, in a moment of swift thinking, scores the group a slot performing in Vietnam as The Sapphires.
And then stars are born, right?
Well, no. The Sapphires aren’t Dream Girls and they aren’t The Supremes. They never achieve the fame and fortune in their short-lived trip to Vietnam that youngest sister and lead singer Julie pines for—but that’s not to say they don’t have the vocals to do it. The film begins with younger versions of The Sapphires, also known as the Cummeraganja Songbirds, performing on a homemade stage for their parents. Their voices are sweet and clear despite impending government officials who threaten to take more Aborigine children from the Mission and assimilate them into white culture. As the girls leave for Vietnam years later, their singing connects them to the family they are leaving behind—and with help from Dave, their voices (and personalities) garner even more soul.
Along the way, the girls each experience enough heartbreak and tough love to make you cry. But Dave somehow manages, despite his own personal misgivings, to keep the group of hard-headed vocalists together until their return to Australia with a hilarious amount of cynicism and wit. O’Dowd’s character was one of the strongest throughout the film if not just for his comedic timing. With audience tears at bay, the movie manages to address some pretty gritty topics, including the Martin Luther King assassination — with original video clips from the news, highlighting the all-too-real drama behind the story.
“The Sapphires” has a little something for everyone. But please, forgive the cliché — unlike a lot of films these days, director Wayne Blair superbly captured the perfect amount of comedy, action, romance, and drama in one feature film. It makes sense to learn that the story was written with the help of a descendant of a real-life Sapphire, Tony Briggs. If the surprisingly strong vocals don’t keep you entertained, then the ups and downs of the Sapphires’ journey to Vietnam and back certainly will.
[Contact fname=”Raine” lname=”Blunk” email=”entertainment@nathanielholland.com/district”]
