In the Outback, you don’t mess with Molly
ALSO SHOWING
THE Drover’s Wife: The Legend Of Molly Johnson ())))*, 15, 108 mins) is a pioneering Western in every sense: written, directed by and starring Leah Purcell as Molly, a crackshot mountain woman with a life tougher than her husband’s old boots.
Indeed, Molly’s missing husband, and the fact that an indigenous traveller is now wearing his boots, is key to a gripping, fast-moving and often violent story that contrasts with the beautiful Australian wilderness in the background. Purcell’s performance is superb.
Firestarter ())***, 15, 94 mins) slipped into cinemas without the usual fanfare that a Stephen King adaptation gets — and that’s probably because the acting is so wooden it’s not surprising that a girl with superpowers can set anyone around her on fire. Zac Ephron (who should stick to romcoms) plays the father of Charlie McGee (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), a moody nine-year-old with psychic powers that get her whole family into trouble when a top-secret agency tries to kidnap her. As the two go on the run, Charlie’s bursts of anger get incendiary — and at one point she unintentionally barbecues a pet cat.
The music documentary A-ha — The Movie ())***, 12A, 108 mins) is more of an ‘oh no’ experience. It charts the rise of the Norwegian pop-synth boy band whose hit, Take On Me, became a massive 1980s anthem. They have sold 50 million records. Unfortunately, the boys are now grumpy old men, and still touring the same old songs. It’s creative purgatory for everyone.