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Raimond’s mother Christina has gone to live with another man – Mitru (Russell Dykstra), a former friend of Rai’s father. Romulus (Eric Bana) is now writing to a woman he’s never met, back in Europe. When Raimond (Kodi Smit-McPhee) discovers that the woman has written back, he is enraged. He challenges his father in front of their Australian-born neighbour, Tom Lillie (Terry Norris). The boy shows his displeasure by playing a rock’n’roll record at full volume.
Curator’s notes
One of the film’s best assets is the incredible truthfulness of Kodi Smit-McPhee’s performance as Raimond. His blazing anger in this scene is a good example of his naturalness. It’s interesting that Raimond understands implicitly the rebellious nature of the music, and that playing it will antagonise his father. The film is set in 1960 and ’61, when rock’n’roll was still a very new and controversial music in Australia.
