Bran Nue Dae 2009

Stephen Holden, New York Times: The singsongy score is a mostly forgettable potpourri of folk, reggae, country and gospel poorly lip-synced by cast members whose uneven vocal chops underscore the ingenuousness of characters like the virginal Willie. Read more

Ted Fry, Seattle Times: The bright colors and vibrant backgrounds ... go a long way in distracting from shortcomings in the story and style of this offhand hybrid. Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: Director Rachel Perkins aims for broad comedy in the familiar Australian style -- in the manner of Muriel's Wedding and Strictly Ballroom -- but she often overshoots, and slapstick overwhelms the movie's satire of the infinite varieties of piety. Read more

Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic: Bran Nue Dae is an infectiously joyful Australian Aboriginal musical. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: The desert colors pop. The songs are catchy. The lip-synching, meanwhile, is always a little off, and the dancing is usually average at best. That homemade quality is part of the movie's charm. Read more

Patrick Friel, Chicago Reader: This Australian musical-comedy seems like a project for which everyone involved had ideas but no one had veto power. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Geoffrey Rush chews so much scenery that he looks ready to burst. Read more

Cary Darling, Dallas Morning News: When Australian Aborigines appear on the big screen, it's rare to see them as fully fleshed-out contemporary human beings. That's where this lightweight and enjoyable, if frustratingly uneven, comedy-musical makes its biggest contribution. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: It's almost impossible not to be swept up by the exuberant fun of this singing, dancing, irony-laced ode to the repression, reeducation and resistance of Australia's indigenous tribal peoples circa 1969. Read more

Aaron Hillis, L.A. Weekly: The choreography is sloppy and lifeless; the outmoded blend of vintage rock, country and Broadway styles doesn't click; and the characters are such caricatures that it's no wonder the entire cast is overacting. Read more

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: Soon, whenever someone launches into a song, you roll your eyes and hope the tune is a short one. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: A cheerful and proudly corny musical that's pretty hard to resist if you're in the right frame of mind. Read more

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: Though the film seems to be cobbled together from saints-and-sinners tropes that were rusty in Victorian times, its high spirits are infectious. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The two leads are sweet and attractive, their roles don't place great demands, and the movie skips along happily, if a little disorganzed. Read more

G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle: A sunny, colorful Australian Aborigine musical sounds like a good idea, but Bran Nue Dae is a very slightly plotted, over-the-top film with hammy acting suitable for an old Benny Hill episode. Read more

Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail: The film is uneven but in a kind of sweet, earnest way. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: You have to wonder about the film's almost complete portrayal of Aborigines as dim-witted dunderers, dancing fools, thieves and drunks. Whites fare no better. Does the film explode stereotypes, or reinforce them? Read more

David Fear, Time Out: The movie will make you tap your toes; don't expect much for your head or your heartstrings. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: The story sails by, mostly unimpeded, toward its feel-good conclusion and is likely to be forgotten even before the final credits have faded from the screen. Read more