Ned Kelly (2003)

Summary: The (mostly) true story of an Irishman in the Australian outback, Ned Kelly (Heath Ledger), whose legend grows and grows long after he dies. The film follows the events of nearly ten years of exploits with his gang comprised on his brother, Dan (Laurence Kinlan); his brother’s best friend, Steven Hart (Phil Barantini); and Ned’s best friend, Joe Byrne (Orlando Bloom).

See, despite the fact that he robbed banks and killed people. Ned Kelly is regarded as something of a national hero. Although, it is a nation of criminals, so we can’t be surprised, can we?

But honestly, in every telling, there is the sense that Kelly was generally wrongfully accused and simply found his own way to stand up to the injustices of the system that oppressed him.

That certainly is the sense that John M. McDonagh’s screenplay based on Robert Drewe’s novel, Our Sunshine. He makes Ned not necessarily a charismatic leader but a man driven by the passion of his beliefs. It is that, not words or actions, that truly draw people to him.

Gregor Jordan directs the story from much the same angle. He very rarely lingers on any one detail for too long, except for a misguided attempt at a romantic subplot involving a wasted Naomi Watts. I failed to see the point of it or her in the movie.

Ledger and Bloom. How many would have guessed that a) there would exist a fairly serious historical drama starring two teen heart-throbs or b) that I would watch it.

Well, it does, and I did. So there.

And I liked it. They’ve both got it, the real goods, but they neither seem to know how to channel it or where to go next.

Although, to be honest, I find it hard to believe that that many people want to shag Bloom. Maybe if I was still 12 and preferred feminine men, but, frankly, this movie pushes that image a bit too far.

Who would have guessed that I would talk about such a film on my birthday. Did anyone see this coming? Anyone?