Review of The Sunset Six

In the 80s Spy Zone were one of Australia's hottest bands, but just when they were on the verge of breaking through into the lucrative US market their lead singer and songwriter Riff (Greg Stone) up and left without any explanation. Now Riff nearly two decades later Riff has put another band together, but after nine months of rehearsals without actually playing a live gig or recording a record there are simmering tensions within the band. They are also waiting for Riff to come up with some new material. In one heated rehearsal session a lot of tensions boil over to the surface and the ensuing confrontations will determine the band's future. Director Jeremy Stanford and co-writer Max Dann (a veteran TV writer whose film scripts include Spotswood and Siam Sunset) first created The Sunset Six as a stage show, and the film never quite overcomes the limitations of its theatrical origins. The film is heavily dialogue driven - although there is time for a song or four - and most of the action is confined to the one claustrophobic interior location of the rehearsal space. As the tensions simmer away and a few hometruths and recriminations emerge, it falls to local music icon Molly Meldrum, who essentially plays himself in a cameo appearance, to save the day for the band. The soundtrack itself offers a combination of cover versions of classic Australian hits like Send Me An Angel, and some new material written especially for the film. There have been many films about people trying to put together a band, including Alan Parker's brilliant The Commitments, Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do, etc. And there have also been many films exploring the internal tensions, massive egos, and creative differences that tear a band apart, including the cult mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, and the fascinating documentary Anvil, etc. But Stanford drew much of his inspiration for this film exploring the acrimonious atmosphere and dysfunctional dynamics of a band from Joe Berlinger's brilliant fly on the wall documentary Metallica: Some Kind Of Madness, a raw and brutally honest look at the tension within the band brought on by success and creative pressures. This is the first feature film for Stanford, an actor with lots of television work on his resume, and whose most recent film appearance was the Australian Rules drama Blinder, but he handles the material with confidence. A low budget film, The Sunset Six was filmed primarily inside Melbourne's Lithuanian Club by cinematographer Jody Moston, and the interiors add to the material. Stanford has cast the film with an eye for authenticity, thus we get a mix of veterans and some rising young stars, many of whom are musicians and performers in their own right. They mesh together convincingly and manage to bring to life many of the insecurities and thwarted desires of their characters. Stone (from Van Diemen's Land, Swerve, etc) is wonderfully belligerent and arrogant as the has-been rocker Riff, and he has that whole jaded rock star personality down pat. This is the first film role for Kiki Celaris who plays Katya, but she comes from a musical background and brings a natural quality to her performance. She belts out a couple of numbers with conviction. In her feature film debut Annie Stanford (the director's wife) plays Lucy, the band's publicist come manager who tries to keep them focused on their music. Jamie McDonald is good as Brendon, who is quickly growing tired of Riff's posturing, putdowns and empty promises. Kristin Holland (from Neighbours, etc) plays Adam, the egotistical and selfish bass player who is about to head off to LA to work for the Disney organisation, and doesn't have time for Riff or the band anymore. The Sunset Six seems more like a stage play than a film, but it is an interesting comedy/drama about the pitfalls of being in a rock 'n' roll band.