Review: Lucky Miles

10 July 2007

by Graeme Watson

Reviews

Written and Directed by Michael James Rowland. Features Kenneth Moraleda, Rodney Afif, Sri Sacdpreseuth, Don Hany, Glenn Shea, Sean Mununggurr, Sawung Jabo and Arif Hidayat.

Opening the Adelaide Film Festival was ‘Lucky Miles’ the Directorial debut from Michael James Rowland and it’s a knock out film from a first time feature Director.

An Indonesian fishing boat abandons group of Iranian and Cambodian illegal immigrants on the North West Coast, the immigrants believe they are in walking distance of Perth, not knowing it is thousands of miles away. The heartless captain assures them there is a bus stop just over the sand dune as he returns to the open sea. 300 metres of shore the ship sinks leaving them all stranded.

The topic of illegal immigration is a political hotspot in Australian society and has been the source material for many documentaries about detention, national identity and ethical behavior. ‘Lucky Miles’ is like none of these, it’s an outright hilarious comedy. Three soldiers are tasked with the role of tracking down and capturing these wandering visitors as they all stumble through the desert, what follows is pure slapstick and laugh out loud fun.

In the style of the ‘God’s Must Be Crazy’ there are characters crashing into each other, odd vehicles, encounters with wildlife, fights over thongs and run ins with the locals. This film is funny from start to finish and has a fantastic final line. There are no actors in here that you know, but Kenneth Moraleda, Rodney Afif, Sri Sacdpreseuth, Don Hany, Glenn Shea, Sean Mununggurr, Sawung Jabo and Arif Hidayat are all great.

Ultimately this comical film says more about Australia, our immigration policies and our society than most of the documentaries that have earnestly tried – an admirable achievement on many levels.

Graeme Watson