Sorry, this movie sucks

Absolutely the worst movie.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

"Swimming Upstream", a satisfying Australian movie, was shown on cable recently. Directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a biography by Anthony Fingleton, the film has a lot to admire, in that even if it deals with sports, in this case swimming, but is basically a family drama.Harold Fingleton, the brutish head of the family, is a longshoreman struggling to maintain his wife and five children in Brisbane, in the mid 1950s. Harold has a drinking problem. When he gets drunk, he takes it on his wife, or his children. Dora, the wife, gets her share of the abuse, mainly because she sees in her son Tony a kind soul who she wants to succeed. Dora, who attempted to take her own life, is rescued by the children. That in turn, makes Harold be meaner toward Tony, who in his mind might be showing signs of homosexuality. As it is, Harold was abused by his own mother's clients.When Harold watches the boys at the local pool, he is amazed by the talent he sees in John, and in Tony. He embarks in a quest to make both boys successful champions, but he prefers John to be the one with all the honors; after all, he couldn't care less what happens to Tony. Ironically, Tony is the one that is successful. When having the option to choose between going to the Olympics, or taking a full scholarship at Harvard, Tony chooses the latter.It's sad to see how Harold's own drinking affected the family. In spite of what one would have expected, all the children turned out good, especially Tony. Harold, who eventually sobered up, was never warm toward a son that really loved him and try to win all the contests he entered to gain his father's love.Russell Mulcahy delivered a great film that juxtaposes the successes of the Fingletons with the miserable life at home. Geoffrey Rush got one of the best roles of his career. He does incredible work in portraying the tormented Harold and making the monster that he was, totally dominated by alcohol and hatred. Of course, he had been scarred for life at an early age, and took it on the innocent people that were most vulnerable, his family.Judy Davis is also excellent as Dora. Although she doesn't have as much screen time as Mr. Rush, Ms. Davis is always an interesting actress to watch. Jesse Spencer is fine as Tony as a grown man and Tim Draxl also excels as John. Kain O'Keefe impressed us as the bully Harold Jr. at the beginning of the film.An inspirational film made better by Russell Mulcahy.

Swimming Upstream is not a typical macho sporting flick - you will be forced to think. The movie will effect all your senses and may expose skeletons from the cupboard, normally remained locked away for years and years.The capturing of the intense Queensland light, searing heat and crystal clear water is set against the contrast of the struggle of the family members.Disregard the sport and the period the film portrays and relate the same story to your own or other's family relationships - the story is all too close to home.

This film was the "Closing Selection" for the 2004 San Diego Film Festival. The story shows the emotional pain of growing up with an alcoholic and abusive father. And yet, through the violence and strife emerges the eventual best Olympic swimmer from Australia in his event. The movie was about the life story of Tony Fingleton, whom I was fortunate to meet in person after the film. What an outstanding individual as he fielded audience questions with complete honesty and panache.His story is testament to the tenacity of the human spirit in the face of a troubled and abusive father. Yet despite it all, emerges a positive and intelligent force. There was still a drive to improve one's mind despite a relentlessly critical father in the protagonist's formative years. The emotional family confrontations are not for the squeamish; however, it is a tribute to human optimism and accomplishment. I wish it were revealed a bit more about Tony's drive for education early on, i.e., who inspired that aspect of his development? Geoffrey Rush's acting as the father is stark and striking. The images and messages of this film will stay with you for a very long time!

I grew up in Sydney during the 1950's and although my childhood was good it wasn't the "good old days" people like to reminisce about.This film captures the Australia of the 1950's perfectly.An insular nation still coming to grips with who it was and where it was going.As a child I saw men traumatised by the war or the depression; unable to express their feelings and as trapped in their roles as were the women.Rush and Davies were superb as were the actors who played the children.What a pity Tony had to escape to the USA. Has anything really changed?A great little Australian Movie