Review: Paper Planes - an Aussie High Flyer

Here’s the formula. There’s the single parent, maybe loser dad who doesn’t quite get what being a parent entails so of course is ‘absent’ at least emotionally. Maybe it’s mum with a bag full of ‘issues’ and/or addictions not working or working in the kind of job the middle class label as ‘dead end’.

Our child hero copes as best they can with the burden of parenting the parent while being voiceless in their community be that school, sports club, friendship circle etc. BUT they have a gift, momentarily undiscovered but which soon is revealed so the story arc can move along. They might be nerdy with a penchant for chess or a whiz at spelling who enters a spelling bee, great at basketball or ice skating can be a good angle but the point is they are ‘good’.

Of course there is a villain or bully, often a grown up but even better if it’s another kid. He has to be a brat and someone we just want to hiss at (ah that’s what pantomimes were about). No matter we know they will get theirs when the time comes, when redemption hits.

There will be stages as the story develops and our hero wins a heat, a qualifier to progress to the nxt stage and maybe just maybe they’ll get to the final and then, wellll we know what’s gonna happen at the end don’t we?

Hang on mum and dad need redemption too. We have the discovery, the revelation of what troubles them and we might even have the hero speak the magic words that turn them around BUT redemption will be theirs. The final has to be fought but dad’s housebound with his phobia or his despair and can’t leave the house or the poky little flat they share; mum is off with the useless druggie boyfriend or stuck with an extra shift at work (can’t give it up because the mean boss will sack her and then where will we all be), oh dear sad times but hope is all around (maybe even on the stirring soundtrack). 

We get to the big moment, the little hero against the big bad world, the demons and the heartache, the myth made real. Poor little fella or lass has to take it all on their skinny shoulders and we know they’ll come through but look who’s that up in the bleachers or coming in the door of the arena (nicely lit and framed, and that music…pass the tissue), yay, be still my swelling heart.

‘Paper Planes’ is 100% formula and ticks every manipulative and exploitative box there is. And I loved every minute of it. Ed Oxenbould as Dylan the paper plane ‘pilot’ extraordinaire had to carry the film and did it extremely well. Sam Worthington as his dad was good although the script probably limited him more than needed. Pete Rowsthorn, Terry Norris and Deb Mailman gave great support in their roles, Norris particularly (although occasionally cloyingly clichéd) and the standout co-star was Julian Dennison as Dylan’s mate. Very natural and smooth, he had some real laugh out loud moments.

Beautifully shot on a number of Australian and Japanese locations paper Planes has a lovely confident look about it easily equal to the best of Hollywood and European films of this sort.

Beautifully directed by the great Robert Connolly this film should do well here and in the overseas markets given the right support.

Go see this feel good Aussie high flyer. 3 ½ out of 5

http://www.paperplanesmovie.com.au