Flyerplesys Perfectly adorable

Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

bramkleiweg In some respects, John Duigan's fairytale has a lot in common with Hughes' 'The Breakfast Club', exposing the audience to the classically subversive nature of the true adolescent. Both films have the power to put viewers of all ages (once again) through the agony of young insecurity. Adults symbolize violence and corruption whilst teens form the embodiment of innocence and purity. We hence sympathize with them, not only because of their well-put comments, but also due to their ability to nostalgically move.The way in which 'Flirting' especially distinguishes itself from 'The Breakfast Club' is its far greater, dreamlike quality. Two private schools (one for boys and one for girls) sit on the opposite banks of a lake in New South Wales, Australia. At night, the misty lake is lit by a full moon, an occurrence which seems to put the film in another dimension. Especially later on, when the hero of the story is seen crossing the vast waters in a rowing boat.The year is 1965, and the strict policies of the schools prohibits nearly all contact between the sexes of the separate institutions. However, due to the extreme curiosity concerning sexuality and its subsequent hormonal antics, one early relationship manages to develop between the Australian Danny Embling (Noah Taylor) and Thandiwe Adjewa (Thandie Newton), who is born of a Ugandan father and a Kenyan-British mother. Their romantic fumbling ranges from readings of Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus to the discovery of each others cultures, and from the sharing of a first cigarette to the fulfillment of the youths' ultimate desire.When political turmoil starts tearing up her father's home country, including his political position, Thandiwe immediately feels the strong intention to be with him. She and Danny are eventually driven apart, but in the cool way, only achievable by adolescents.The cast of 'Flirting' is phenomenal. Noah Taylor ('Shine') and Thandie Newton ('Mission: Impossible II', 'Crash', this being her first acting job) already show incredible potential which, like most good, young actors, seems to entice the viewer on a far higher level than a lot of their later, 'adult' work. The supporting work by, among others, Nicole Kidman (at the age of 24) and a nearly unrecognizable Naomi Watts provide solid reasoners during the unfolding love story. The soundtrack conveys the intensely romantic feelings in a brilliant way, including works by Duke Ellington, Reg Presley and Little Richard. The fairytale feel of the movie is provided, as mentioned before, by the visual side of things. Geoff Burton's cinematography and Laurie Faen's art direction are of special note here, respectively contributing to the films - at times eerie, at times emotive - tone and its saccharin private school-backdrop.This is a brilliant little movie worth watching. Go ahead, you'll enjoy it.

Tamarahvictor I saw this movie today for the very first time and it was amazing. I've never seen a movie so well put together, even young adults as myself can relate or even fantasize with the plot itself. the character of Danny is every mysterious person who is opened to a whole new world by this young African girl. I really like this movie and i wish they made more movies like this now in days. I hope they remake this movie with a modern twist but still with the old charm. I really enjoyed this movie and it seems like a movie that i would watch in English class. I loved it and am hoping to share it among friends.it was great. My cousin also watched it with me and was like, "wow i have a thing for that Danny character!"

aurora7 This has got to be by far one of the most touching, intelligent, sensitive and emotionally mature and rewarding films out there on first love. What is also truly impressive is that it deals with this topic while also touching on inter-racial love, racism, African colonialism, and Jean-Paul Sarte without ever once becoming condescending or maudlin. It is a film that not only respects the feelings of the two fully-inhabited main character but by doing so, makes the viewer all the more involved in their world and feelings for each other. The director and the script both assume that the viewer is intelligent and the viewer is accordingly rewarded.Noah Taylor and Thandie Newton are truly exceptional and highly intelligent actors and watching both their bodies of work like "Shine", "Max", "Beseiged" and "Crash has truly been a pleasure. I do hope the best is yet to come from these fine actors and I'm sure their futures are bright.Much has been made of Nicole Kidman in this film but really she's only a secondary character as well as the young Naomi Watts. I wish Hollywood would stop looking at this film as a Nicole Kidman vehicle when truly Taylor and Newton deserve the attention for this early work.This movie is also beautifully shot, especially the scenes when Danny rows his boat over the river by moonlight or watching the two of them skim rocks over the water surface or Danny at the end, reading Thandie's letter on the windy rocks and the sky suddenly clearing up on him. At the very end Danny come to the very mature realization on the transcendent nature of true love, something which I don't think he understood in "The Year My Voice Broke".I actually went out and got this film on DVD and never tire of watching it from time to time, a sign of great film. It really reminds you of what it was once like when those first feelings of romantic love started to appear in your life, all the promise, the novelty and the authenticity as well as the insecurities. So it's not really just a "teen" movie, I think just about anyone who has had these experiences can appreciate this gem of a film.Do yourself a favour and try finding a copy, you won't regret it.

julianxbishop Intelligently written piece that combines sub-genres of Coming of Age and inter-racial films.The plot is fairly straightforward and the message of the film is not deep. Nevertheless, it is an original film which is simply and cheaply made.The first strength of the film lies in the exquisite performances from great cast of the then unknown actors, 3 of whom have gone on to great performances in many other films (Taylor, Newton and Kidman).Secondly (assuming you are over 14 years old), the audience will have a strong feeling of resonation with the subject matter (growing up, alienation the school "norm", being allowed to behave differently etc). The fact that the film is by a British director about an Australian boarding school probably means that the film has a wider appeal to all anglo-saxon nations.Finally, the humour is understated but engaging.I loved this film on release. It has not lost any of its charm since, though you are slightly distracted by seeing well-known actors in their youth.