Australian
Screen

an NFSA website

West (2007)

play Coarse language – high
clip 'Can't get much better than her'

Original classification rating: MA. This clip chosen to be M

Clip description

Pete (Khan Chittenden) and Jerry (Nathan Phillips) get drunk and stoned in their usual hangout, a culvert beneath a bridge, before going to the pub. Pete is keen on a girl there, but Cheryl (Gillian Alexy) chooses Jerry. Kenwood (Anthony Hayes) tries to get free dope from Pete, but he refuses. Pete is thinking about Cheryl.

Curator’s notes

The scene establishes the drug-soaked haze that Pete, in particular, spends a lot of his time in, as well as the sense of sexual aggression that these young men and women regard as normal. The giving or withholding of free drugs is a sort of currency here. Pete’s refusal to give Cheryl anything to ‘put a smile on her face’ contributes to her decision to move on to Jerry. When Pete refuses Kenwood’s similar request, he sets up the conflict that will have a great impact on all their lives.