Drift (2013 Australian film)

Drift is a 2013 Australian film about the birth of the surf industry in the 1970s. It was shot in Western Australia and co-directed by Morgan O'Neill and Ben Nott and starring Sam Worthington, Xavier Samuel and Myles Pollard.

Plot

Set in a remote town on Australia's spectacular and rugged coastline in the early '70s, Drift tells the story of two brothers at the genesis of the modern surf industry.

Determined to escape a life of factory work and petty crime, headstrong older brother Andy (Myles Pollard) and his wayward surf prodigy younger brother Jimmy (Xavier Samuel) form a volatile alliance. With their seamstress mother Kat (Robyn Malcolm) they fashion custom-made Drift wetsuits and new shorter surfboards out of their back yard garage.

Their fledgling business generates a powerful buzz amongst the hard-core local surfers, but the brothers’ progressive ideas are soon at odds with their conservative town and find themselves embroiled in a violent feud with a drug-dealing biker gang looking to manipulate Drift's early success.

Enter JB, an infamous surf filmmaker (Sam Worthington) and Lani (Lesley-Ann Brandt), his gorgeous Hawaiian companion who drift into town just as the brothers' business and troubles begin to escalate. The travellers embody the era's anti-establishment vibe and are skeptical, but soon realize if the brothers can survive and stay true to their surfing roots, they might be part of something greater than they ever imagined.

Based on true stories from the era, Drift is the action filled story of a complex family of outsiders who struggle to escape their troubled past to forge a successful future…stumbling upon the worldwide multibillion-dollar cultural movement we know today.

Myles Pollard (as Andy Kelly) and Lesley-Ann Brandt (as LSamuelani) share in the free-love 70s vibe

Cast

• Xavier Samuel as Jimmy
• Myles Pollard as Andy
• Sam Worthington as JB
• Lesley-Ann Brandt as Lani
• Robyn Malcolm as Kat
• Maurie Ogden as Percy
• Aaron Glenane as Gus

Production

Tim Duffy wrote an early script in 2007. Myles Pollard became attached as actor and producer and asked Sam Worthington, with whom he had attended Drama School, to star. Worthington expressed interest but at the time was unable to commit given his international film schedule. Morgan O'Neill wrote the screenplay and came on board as co-director with Ben Nott. Worthington became available and agreed to play a support role and funding was obtained from Screen Australia, Screen West, Screen NSW, Tourism WA and Fulcrum Media Finance. Shooting took 31 days in August–September 2011 in south west Western Australia.^[2]

Box office

The film was released in Australia in early 2013. On its opening weekend it earned $268,570 at the box office making an average of $1,918 across 140 screens.^[3]

Still playing in Australian cinemas in its twelfth week of release, it's currently grossed over $938,000.00.

Film festivals

• Official selection Hamptons Film Festival 2013
• Official selection Newport Beach Film Festival 2013
• Official selection Maui International Film Festival 2013
• Official selection Rincon International Film Festival 2013

Awards

Critical response

Critical response has been strong, including positive reviews from some of Australia's most respected critics.

• "An entertaining ride with startling cinematography" - Roger Moore, McClatchy - Tribune News Service.^[4]
• "Four Stars" - David & Margaret At The Movies. ABC1.^[5]
• "I had a ball. It's funny and truthful... and the surfing takes your breath away" - Paul Byrnes, The Sydney Morning Herald.^[6]
• "Great story, great cast... 5 stars... Best Aussie film since The Castle" - Jason Davis, Weekend Sunrise Seven Network.^[7]
• "Pollard and Samuel are excellent" - David Stratton, The Australian.^[8]
• "O’Neill’s story of innovation against the odds and young manhood continually surprises and engages" - Daniel Murphy, Empire^[9]
• "Four Stars" - The Australian.
• "Exquisitely shot and warmly crafted" - Erin Free, FilmInk.^[10]
• "Thrilling... dramatically compelling" - Nick Dent, Time Out Sydney.^[11]
• "The best surfing I've seen in a feature film" - Stu Nettle, Swellnet.^[12]
• "Drift is that rare thing: an Australian surf film with not just spectacular wave action but an engaging story" - Garry Maddox, Sydney Morning Herald.^[8]

References

External links

• Official website
• Drift on IMDb
• Review at The Australian
• Drift at Hopscotch Films
• Drift at At the Movies
• Review at Sydney Morning Herald
• Review at Filmink
• Article at Sydney Morning Herald
• Review at Time Out