| The Sum of Us | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Geoff Burton Kevin Dowling |
| Written by | David Stevens |
| Starring | Jack Thompson Russell Crowe John Polson Deborah Kennedy |
| Music by | Brad Fiedel |
| Cinematography | Russell Carpenter |
| Editing by | Frans Vandenburg |
| Distributed by | Australian Film Commission |
| Release date(s) | 12 July 1994 (Australia) 8 March 1995 (UK & US) |
| Running time | 100 min. |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
The Sum of Us is a 1994 Australian film version of the play The Sum of Us. Directed by Kevin Dowling and Geoff Burton, the film starred Russell Crowe and Jack Thompson. The screen adaptation mimics the play's device of breaking the fourth wall with direct to camera conversational asides by both Harry and Jeff.
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Jeff (Crowe), lives with his widower father Harry Mitchell (Thompson). Much of the movie is about Harry's over-eager support for his son, and his concerns that Jeff doesn't have a boyfriend. Harry meets an attractive but judgemental divorcee through a dating service, and this leads to some conflict between the two main characters. Halfway through, though, the story takes unexpected, darker turns and attains a new level of profundity, becoming a meditation on the enduring strength of love, both familial and romantic, in the face of adversity.
The Sum of Us grossed $3,827,456 at the box office in Australia.[1]
Stevens' screenplay won awards from the Australian Film Institute and the Montréal World Film Festival, and the movie was named Best Film at the Cleveland International Film Festival.