The Tender Hook
| The Tender Hook | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Jonathan Ogilvie |
| Produced by |
Michelle Harrison John Brousek |
| Written by | Jonathan Ogilvie |
| Starring |
Hugo Weaving Rose Byrne Matthew Le Nevez Pia Miranda |
| Music by | Chris Abrahams |
| Cinematography | Geoffrey Simpson |
| Edited by | Ken Sallows |
| Distributed by |
Dendy Films (Australia) Screen Media Films (United States) |
Release dates |
|
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | A$7 million[1] |
The Tender Hook is a 2008 Australian film noir starring Hugo Weaving, Rose Byrne and Matthew Le Nevez. The film was retitled The Boxer and the Bombshell for its North American DVD release.
Plot synopsis
The film tells the story of a love triangle set in a stylised version of Sydney’s criminal/boxing underworld in the 1920s. The story is about Iris’ rise to the apex of a love/power triangle that includes her English con man, lover, McHeath, and Art an honest, young boxer. Within the flawed moral landscape each character struggles to establish their sovereignty.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Hugo Weaving | McHeath |
| Rose Byrne | Iris |
| Matthew Le Nevez | Art |
| John Batchelor | Ronnie |
| Tyler Coppin | Donnie |
| Pia Miranda | Daisy |
| Luke Carroll | Alby 'Othello' O'Shea |
Production
The Tender Hook is the second feature by writer/ director Jonathan Ogilvie (Emulsion, Despondent Divorcee, This Film Is a Dog), and stars Hugo Weaving (Little Fish, The Lord of the Rings, The Matrix), Rose Byrne (Marie Antoinette, Casanova, Troy) and Matthew Le Nevez (Emulsion, Peaches).
Producers are Michelle Harrison and John Brousek (Hating Alison Ashley, Sensitive New Age Killer, The Wog Boy).
The crew includes: director of photography, Geoffery Simpson (Romulus, My Father, Under The Tuscan Sun); editor, Ken Sallows (Getting Square, Crackerjack); production designer, Peter Baxter (Lucky Miles, Beneath Clouds); costume designer, Cappi Irreland (Home Songs Stories) and composition of the score by Chris Abrahams from The Necks (The Boys).
The film was financed by the Film Finance Corporation Australia, and Parkland Pictures (UK), with support from Film Victoria. Parkland Pictures (UK) handled International sales, with Icon Films distributing in Australasia.
Reception
The film was not a box-office success, earning only $64,232[2] against its $7 million budget.[1]
Critics gave the film negative to average reviews. David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz both gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, with Stratton explaining the film has "some very strong elements... [but] never really works as a thriller or as a romance".[3]
See also
References
- 1 2 Kent, Melissa (10 May 2009). "Back in the frame". The Age. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- ↑ Film Victoria - Australian Films at the Australian Box Office
- ↑ "The Tender Hook". At the Movies. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 September 2008. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
