The Year My Voice Broke

Plot synopsis:
In the 1960s, Danny (Noah Taylor), a thin, socially awkward adolescent, falls in love with his best friend Freya (Loene Carmen) in rural New South Wales, Australia. Unfortunately, she is attracted to Trevor (Ben Mendelsohn), a high school rugby star, larrikin and petty criminal who helps Danny with the school bullies. Shortly after sleeping with Freya at the abandoned house, Trevor steals a car for a joyride and is arrested and sent to juvenile detention; it is while he is away that Freya reveals to Danny that she is pregnant. Danny offers to marry her and claim that the child is his, but Freya refuses, saying that she does not want to marry anyone. Meanwhile, intrigued by a locket left to Freya by an elderly friend of theirs who recently died -engraved "SEA"- Danny begins to investigate the town's past, and discovers a lone cross in the cemetery bearing those initials, belonging to a "Sara Elizabeth Amery," who died days after Freya was born. Through inquiries with his parents, Danny learns that Sara was something of the town prostitute years ago, and that she was Freya's biological mother, who died trying to give birth by herself at the abandoned house.
Meanwhile, Trevor breaks out of detention, steals another car, and severely wounds a store clerk during an armed robbery. Trevor returns to town long enough to reunite with Freya at the abandoned house, and learn that she is pregnant. The police arrive at Trevor's hiding place, but Danny warns him, and Trevor is able to escape. The police then run his car off the road during the course of the pursuit, and Trevor dies the next day. Freya disappears, and later suffers a miscarriage and hypothermia until Danny finds her (at the abandoned house) and takes her to the hospital. Hesitantly, Danny reveals the identity of Freya's mother to her. Realising the stigma now hanging over her, Freya decides to leave on the night train for the city. At the station, Danny gives her his life's savings to support herself and sees her off - promising their friendship to one another and to keep in touch. Later Danny travels to their favourite hangout spot and carves Freya's, Trevor's, and his name into a rock, as his adult self informs the audience that he never saw Freya again.
The film is a series of interconnected segments narrated by Danny who recollects how he and Freya grew apart over the course of one year. Danny's history continues in the 1991 film Flirting.

Tags: romantic

Review:
Australia seems to have an incredible knack for turning out beautiful films about real life situations fraught with meaning and mystery.
Like the Peter Weir classic _Picnic at Hanging Rock_, the landscape seems to come alive on the screen, and the sense of Australia's isolation does as well.What I especially liked is that many of us (myself included) can empathize with Danny, but he's not perfect.
Trevor also embodies the kinds of guys that inexplicably attract strong-willed women like Freya.
Despite the fact that one might not like his character, he's shown to have genuine feelings for Freya, and to be somewhat understanding of Danny.
The major strength of the film is that the characters are fully fleshed out, with their own virtues and vices.Instead of watching the cruddy teen movies that Hollywood churns out nowadays, give this one a try..
"The Year My Voice Broke" is one of those unknown, quintessential diamond-in-the-rough films that can't seem to find its way into the DVD market, but breaths Criterion throughout the entire viewing.
The daring, honest, and descriptive story of a young boy, his love for this older girl, and the tribulations of growing up in a small town are merely scratching the surface to what this film has to offer.
It speaks, and pays homage, to those classic films from the late 40s, early 50s by creating a town with character, mythology, and individuality.
One could argue that the town in which this film takes place is our fourth character, behind Danny, Freya, and Trevor – but perhaps this enthusiast is getting ahead of himself.
Watching this import on a used VHS, the picture was grainy, the player made noise, and the sound was utterly destructive – yet the heart of this film oozed from the screen.
The power of the characters, the detail of our story, and the truth in director/screenwriter John Duigan's words went from having meaning in a 1987 film (that was supposed to take place in 1962) to creating a story that didn't feel dated or old watching it today, at the end of 2009.
That is the legacy of "The Year My Voice Broke", the raw emotion harassed in this film continues to be relevant today – perhaps even more.
As Hollywood uses every CGI possible to recreate the same effect, all one needs to do is look back at films that used the old-fashioned methodgreat actors, a daring script, and a background that could knock your socks off.To applaud this film, one would need to pat the back of a very young, a very talented, Noah Taylor.
Noah Taylor, known to me as Technical Support in "Vanilla Sky", succeeded gracefully and with the power of most of our top paid American stars.
His ability to show us his unconditional love for Freya, his quizzical hatred for Trevor, as well as his sleuthing skills proved that this kid was ready for anything.
Freya, played by Loene Coleman, a newbie to the screen, was enchanting as the love interest.
The same can be said for Trevor, played by Ben Mendelsohn, who's diabolical, nearly irritating, laugh created a character all his own.
To demonstrate the intensity of these actors, watch closely the scene in which they spend the night in the "haunted" house near the railroad tracks.
Each one has a motive, each actor/character delivers their emotion, and with each line the scene gets more and more powerful.
I wasn't expecting this with children so young.With these three dominate characters; one may ask what else would be needed for an independent film to succeed?
Throughout the film, our characters are continually building their moments via smaller lives within the town.
We learn about Danny's passion for the black arts, that Trevor knows the police firsthand, and that Freya's unknown secret keeps the town at bay.
Without the closeness of this town, "The Year My Voice Broke" wouldn't have worked.
If filmed in a bigger city, the intimate feeling of a protective yet destructive town would have floundered.
The town had to be a character in this film.
Without Noah Taylor, Loene Coleman, or Ben Mendelsohn, this film would have failed.
Director Duigan, if I haven't already drooled over him enough, understood this film, wrote a genuine story, and built a cinematic triumph.
Alas, this film has been forgotten, but look closely at the cinematography, the lavish landscapes, the devotion of our characters, the above mentioned town – these all could not have been accomplished without a passionate eye.
I applaud Duigan for his talent and ability to transform this 1980s film into a universally emotional and exciting moment of cinema.Overall, I have said enough.
It was a rough couple of prior films, but "The Year My Voice Broke" provided that classic niche.
Buy a VHS player and get a copy of this movie, you will not be disappointed.Grade: **** 1/2 out of *****.
The Year My Voice Broke is the finest film to come from Australia.The acting is wonderful, the scenery is glorious, the cinematography superb, and everything clicks to make for a very moving story.
The young actors are very natural in their approach to acting and one feels they are very real people who are going through this strange change in life through which all must pass.
The talented John Duigan (perhaps best known for directing WIDE SARGASSO SEA (1993), based on the novel by Jean Rhys) wrote and directed this wonderful film about kids growing up in New South Wales, Australia, in 1962.
Four years later, with the same boy in the lead, Duigan directed its sequel, FLIRTING (1991).
The film was made in the small town of Braidwood, which apart from its cinema looks like something from 1862 rather than 1962, so things clearly didn't change much in those days in the area they call the 'Tableland'.
Seventeen year-old Loene Carmen is so fresh and real as the girl Freya Olson, but also so convincingly sad and tragic in the light of the events which ensue.
The boy Danny is played by Noah Taylor.
He languishes with hopeless love as an onlooker to the tragic first romance of his childhood friend, Freya, who being older than him is 'out of his league' romantically.
Ben Mendelsohn plays an older boy with a maniacal laugh who steals Freya's heart but who turns out to be mentally unbalanced, presumably with incipient schizophrenic.
John Duigan's The Year My Voice Broke stands out from other coming of age films because of its simple honesty and natural performances.
Gorgeously photographed in Braidwood, New South Wales, Australia, the film avoids the usual "rites of passage" cliches and makes real the heartbreak of awakening sexuality and feeling alone.
Set in 1962, Danny Embling (Noah Taylor) is a sensitive, scrawny 15-year old who is obsessed with his childhood friend, 16-year old Freya Olson (Leona Carmen).
Both teens feel isolated, Danny from the macho attitudes of his schoolmates and Freya because of the truth she senses about her mother.
Freya is increasingly attracted to Trevor (Ben Mendelsohn), a rugby player who is given to petty crime.
Though the mood grows dark, Duigan uses humor to lighten things up when Danny attempts to hypnotize Freya into loving him, and when the boy tries mental telepathy to prevent Freya from kissing Trevor.
Danny's loneliness is painfully evident when he tags along with Freya and Trevor on a date and has to endure the agony of watching them make love at a "haunted house".
This house plays a significant part in Danny, Freya, and Trevor's relationship and in the film's dramatic climax.
Duigan ties his story to the dark secret of the town whose discovery will change the lives of the characters forever and leave you reflecting on the pain of growing up..
Australian classic - Growing up in the real Australia.
This film is a genuine and moving portrayal of growing up in Australia.
For people wanting to see the 'real' Australia, rather than the Crocodile Dundee myths, this movie is a classic.Definitely a film for the sentimental thinker.
Like most Australian movies, it lacks the big-budget shoot em up special effect American style.
It made quite an impression in Australia when released, but was less successful overseas.The sequel of this movie, "Flirting", starred Nicole Kidman and Thandie Newton, who played a cameo in "Interview with the Vampire" opposite Tom Cruise..
This movie is the best film I've ever seen in my life.
A coming of age story, this movie is set against the early sixties and what it was like growing up as a teen, in Australia, it tells a story of two teenagers trying to find themselves and eventually each other during one year.
The laughter and tears makes this movie a classic, and will be adored by teens for years to come.
Danny and Fay, are the best characters and best teenagers you would ever want to know, and have as friends.
With beautiful shots, love scenes, friendships, and just being a teen, this film is my favorite, and will stay my favorite for many years to come, and my voice has already broken..
The Year My Voice Broke is basically about three young kids growing up in a small, desolate town in Australia during the 1960s.
The main character and narrator is Danny.
Danny is like Lucas in that he is in love with his childhood friend, the only girl who seems to understand and appreciate him.
But 'The Year My Voice Broke' deals with much more adult situations than simply being a matter of 'puppy love,' and thus some of the results are tragic.
Mixed feelings swell inside a scrawny, timid teenager as he watches his lifelong crush fall in love with a muscular jock in this Australian drama starring Noah Taylor.
From the outset, 'The Year My Voice Broke' might sound like just another love triangle tale, but the character dynamics are rich and complex.
Taylor hates the jock (played by Ben Mendelsohn) as he represents everything he is not and because he is able to get the girl (played by Loene Carmen).
Mendelsohn, however, believes Taylor to be his closest male friend, not thinking twice about rescuing him from bullies and obliviously telling him how much he fancies Carmen.
Then there is Carmen, who seems to know that Taylor like-likes her, but yet does not consider his feelings when making out in front of him.
In particular, we never see what Taylor sees in Carmen, who between her crooked teeth and tomboyish mannerisms is anything but a conventional love interest, but Taylor's performance is so solid that we believe his affection even if we do not understand it.
Australian screenwriter, producer and director John Duigan's eight feature film which he wrote, is loosely based on his own experiences and is the first part of a planned trilogy which was succeeded by "Flirting" (1991).
It tells the story about an adolescent student named Danny Embling who lives in a small town at a hotel which is managed by his father and mother.
Danny spends most of his time with his friend named Freya who lives with her adoptive parents and her stepsister named Gail and is seriously infatuated with her, but when Freya is introduced to the local rebel named Trevor Leishman he has to find new ways to gain her affection.Subtly and acutely directed by Australian filmmaker John Duigan, this finely tuned fictional tale which is narrated by one of the main characters and from multiple viewpoints, draws a memorable portrayal of a pivotal year in the lives of three Australian misfits who are connected by their alienation.
While notable for it's naturalistic and distinct milieu depictions, sterling cinematography by Australian cinematographer Geoff Burton and production design and costume design by production designer and costume designer Roger Ford, this narrative-driven, conversational and dramatic story which examines themes like identity, friendship and the rites of passage and where a girl is drawn towards the Australian landscape and an amorous boy begins studying hypnotism, depicts three dense and interrelated studies of character and contains a great and timely score by composer Christine Woodruff.This literary, romantic and atmospheric coming-of-age film from the late 1980s which is set during a summer in the early 1960s in a country town in the Tablelands of New South Wales in Australian and where a triangle drama arises between a musician, an orphan and a wild football player, is impelled and reinforced by it's cogent narrative structure, substantial character development, subtle continuity, endearing characters, spiritual undertones and the wonderful acting performances by Australian actors Noah Tylor, Ben Mendelsohn and Australian actresses Loene Carmen and Lynnette Curran.
A rejuvenating, admirable and majestic drama from the later period of the Australian New Wave which gained, among other awards, the AFI Award for Best Film, Best Direction John Duigan and Best Supporting Actor Ben Mendelsohn at the 29th Australian Film Institute Awards in 1987..
This 1987 film written and directed by John Duigan and starring the ingenious Noah Taylor is a undiscovered gem.
Set in 1952 in rural Australia the story centers around Danny Embling, a likeable and thoughtful boy outcast by his peers.
He is in love with his best friend Freyia,and it is their turbulent relationship that is the heart of the story.
When Freyia falls in love with Trevor, a hyper-active and troubled boy, the three struggle with their emerging feelings and the life altering decisions that they must make.
Although all the performances are commendable,none so much as Noah Taylor's heartfelt portrayal of our bumbling hero.
This is a wonderful film that everyone, art film buff to action fan,from 14 to 94 should see for the sweet story and natural performances especially from the wonderful Noah Taylor..
A reluctant nerd approaching the awkward end of adolescence finds his intellectual pursuits in fierce conflict with his awakening lust for a childhood friend from the wrong side of the tracks, who meanwhile is infatuated with a kindred rebel spirit more her own age.The subsequent rite of passage doesn't stray too far from the patented coming-of-age blueprint (laughter leading to tragedy leading to bittersweet wisdom), but writer-director John Duigan's affectionate screenplay avoids falling into any sentimental traps, and the isolated Australian outback setting recalls some of the melancholy nostalgia of 'The Last Picture Show'.
If not much else the film is a welcome throwback to a time when Australian movie-making meant well-crafted, unpretentious entertainment, before the Down Under film industry devolved to the level of 'Crocodile Dundee'..
Coming of age films aren't exactly new to cinema.
It's a subject that has been revisited in every generation, ever since James Dean helped Hollywood discover a new species – the teenager.Although 1955's "Rebel Without a Cause" probably wasn't top-of-mind when John Duigan made "The Year My Voice Broke" in 1987, the alienation, emotional confusion and search for identity felt by many teenagers provides a common theme even if separated by three decades, different stories and different continents.With its nostalgic narration, slow pans of the landscape and soaring strings on the soundtrack, "The Year My Voice Broke" could have been cloying; instead it is captivating.
It gets you in and keeps you there thanks to inspired casting, an unusual setting, and a seductive mood – thanks in no small part to those soaring strings.The story revolves around three teenagers living in an Australian country town in 1962, Danny Embling, Freya Olsen and Trevor Leishman, played by Noah Taylor, Leone Carmen and Ben Mendleson.Danny narrates the story.
He is in love with Freya, a girl who has lived her whole life in the town, but is treated as an outsider by many of the townspeople.
Freya sees Danny as a friend, but has stronger feelings for the rebellious Trevor.
Eventually Trevor gets into trouble with the law – and also gets Freya into trouble – a tough situation for a girl in a country town in 1962.
Danny discovers the reason why Freya is treated as an outsider, and Trevor's wildness and criminal tendencies cause tragedy.
Freya departs never to return, leaving Danny with memories of a love that was never returned.This poignant film shows Duigan's understanding of his teenage characters; their lack of sophistication, their loyalties, the conflicts with their peers, and the pressures they face in a small town.However, the film really hangs on Leone Carmen's performance.
While Nicole Kidman is the epitome of a movie star, Leone Carmen projects an almost opposite quality.
Attractive, but with not so perfect teeth and hair she is refreshingly natural; almost too real, she gives life to the role of the tomboy developing into a woman who does not quite fit in.Noah Taylor shines as the awkward 15-year old who knows that he will never win the girl he is obsessed with; he looks unhappy in just about every scene and we feel his pain.
Ben Mendelsohn's Trevor, the catalyst for much of the action, is an unappealing youth with a reckless streak.
Freya is drawn to Trevor's sense of danger.
But Mendelsohn overdoes Trevor's mannerism, especially the affected laugh – less would have delivered more as it does in his calmer scenes.Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending" is one of the most emotive pieces of music ever composed.
Originally written for the concert hall, it was an inspired choice for the film – it's really Danny's theme, capturing his anguish and, as the music swells and soars, his eventual acceptance of things he can't control.This movie has a unique quality.
Like all movies that really matter, it stays with you..
Being the biggest Noah Taylor fan, bought it off ebay, unsure what to expect, as I am usually unwilling to just purchase movies I've never seen.
The girl that falls for the dumb jock instead of the guy she SHOULD have fell for, and Noah Taylor is a genius portrayal of the "boy next door." And if you're a Nicole Kidman fan, she's in the sequel, so this would give you a little background on Danny for "Flirting.".