Three Summers

2017 Australian film

12 August 2017 (2017-08-12) (MIFF)

2 November 2017 (2017-11-02) (Australia)

Running time

95 minutesCountryAustraliaLanguageEnglish

Three Summers is an Australian romantic comedy film, written and directed by Ben Elton.^[2]

It was filmed and is set in Western Australia, at a fictional summer music festival called 'Westival' (based on the real-life Fairbridge Festival).^[3] Over three consecutive years, two musicians (played by Rebecca Breeds and Robert Sheehan) meet and fall in love at the festival amidst a microcosm of Australian society. In addition to Breeds and Sheehan, the film has a large ensemble cast including Magda Szubanski, Michael Caton, Deborah Mailman, Jacqueline McKenzie and John Waters.^[4]

The film had its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 12 August 2017,^[5] and was released nationally in Australia on 2 November.^[6]

Plot

The film's main plotline revolves around a blossoming romance between its two leads, pretentious theremin player Roland (Robert Sheehan) and down-to-earth pub band fiddler Keevy (Rebecca Breeds)

The film also has a subplot about a racist bigot (played by Michael Caton) meeting a refugee boy and a group of Indigenous dancers and is re-educated.

The film contains several running gags, revolving around feminist singer Diamond and her renditions of classic Australian songs and poems, two middle-aged couples who at first seem nice and clean but are actually swingers, a girl band trio vowing to stay together but then two of the three quit, and a stern security guard who upholds the rules.

Cast

Robert Sheehan as Roland
Rebecca Breeds as Keevey
John Waters as Eamon
Deborah Mailman as Pam
Kelton Pell as Jack
Jacqueline McKenzie as Professor Wellborn
Magda Szubanski as Queenie
Michael Caton as Henry

Production

Three Summers was filmed in the Peel region of Perth, Western Australia in 2016.^[7]

Reception

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 54% of critics reviewed the film positively, with an average score of 4.6/10, based on 13 reviews.^[8]

David Stratton of The Australian wrote, "The film is worth seeing for Waters, giving a spirited portrayal of a loving father set in his ways and unable to see that times are changing, and Breeds as his lively, talented, worldly wise daughter."^[9]

Conversely, Sandra Hall of the Sydney Morning Herald argued, "It's a relentlessly well-meaning film and when it's not proselytising, it's working very hard to manufacture enough laughs to make the whole mix palatable. However, the effort shows."^[10]

References

^ "Three Summers 2017". Screen Australia. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
^ "Ben Elton reveals Aussie movie". news.com.au. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
^ "Three Summers, Ben Elton's ode to Fairbridge, to hit Melbourne International Film Festival". Mandurah Mail. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
^ "Ben Elton "stirring the pot" of Aussie culture as his movie Three Summers shoots in WA with Rebecca Breeds and Deb Mailman". news.com.au. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
^ "'Three Summers' to form MIFF centrepiece". IF Magazine. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
^ "Aussie stars set to attend world premiere of Ben Elton's new film". news.com.au. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ "Three Summers". Screenwest. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
^ "Three Summers". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
^ Stratton, David (3 November 2017). "David Stratton Reviews Three Summers". The Australian. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
^ Hall, Sandra (30 October 2017). "Three Summers review: Ben Elton's folk festival comedy labours for laughs". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 February 2020.